Take Me Away
by Esmeia
Summary: Jeanette was always sensitive. She had never thought ill of her beloved sisters, but she starts to feel like she's stuck in their shadows. But there is someone who sees her for so much more. Simon x Jeanette, also AxB and TxE. Lots of revamping!
1. Conceited

**Conceited**

**Chapter 1**

**XOXOXOXOXO**

_Author's Note:This is a story centered around Jeanette from the Chipettes, along with a lot of focus on Simon from the Chipmunks. It is based on the 2009-2010 story lines. This story contains loads of cute Simon x Jeanette, along with Alvin x Brittany and Theodore x Eleanor, of course! Can't forget my other fave pairings._

_**I do not own the Chipmunks franchise, nor any of their copyrighted characters. They belong to the Bagdasarian family / 20th Century Fox. **_

_Please enjoy the story! This has been revised a bit, since my writing style has changed a lot since I started this._

_XOXOXOXOXO_

_What's so great about Brittany?_

The tall, brunette chipmunk thought sadly as she watched her older sister sing her heart out in front of a large group of human teenagers. They looked at her with much admiration, showering Brittany with compliments. Brittany reveled in the attention, flipping her hair.

_She always was the one everyone paid attention to. Ian made that all too clear when he tried to make her the star she always wanted to be, _Jeanette though sadly, looking down at her hands.

Jeanette shook her head, clenching her eyes closed. What was she thinking? This wasn't like her. Even though her elder sister could be overbearing and egotistical at times, she never let anyone tear their family apart. After all, Brittany was willing to give up her singing career when their former manager had tried to split them up. She was willing to give up her dream for her sisters, and this was how Jeanette thought of her?

Feeling a light tap on her shoulder, she turned around. There sat her little sister, Eleanor, gazing up at her with big, emerald-green eyes. She immediately hid her depressing expression, smiling down at the small blond.

"Oh, hey Eleanor. I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I was asking if you wanted to be my partner for my art project! It would be a lot of fun, don't you think?" Eleanor giggled excitedly, plucking out crayons out of a box that was nearly the same height as her.

"Oh, uh, sure! I would have thought you'd get Theodore to help you?" Jeanette replied, looking over at the chubby little chipmunk that seemed to be the perfect male incarnation of Eleanor. She had a feeling Eleanor had a bit of a crush on the green-clad boy, which she found adorable.

Theodore caught her eye and waved at her cheerfully. Jeanette waved back halfheartedly.

Eleanor blushed slightly, coughing a bit. It was no secret that she had a large crush for him, but she didn't feel comfortable talking about it much.

"I-I would.. but he seems so busy sometimes. Besides, he has plenty of girls to be his partner anyway," Eleanor said, bitterly watching a few of his female fans gather next to him.

Jeanette stared at her sister, shock evident in her violet eyes.

_She's jealous? I didn't think the fact that so many girls found him cute would bother her so much. Well, they're human girls, so there's nothing that could happen..._

She placed a reassuring hand on the pig-tailed girl's shoulder. Eleanor looked up at her with sad eyes.

"Ellie, there's no need to worry about those girls. Their just fans of his, that's all. They're humans, too, so it wouldn't really work..." Jeanette said soothingly, giving her shoulder a squeeze. "There's nothing to worry about!"

Eleanor still looked uncertain.

"More importantly, though, you know he only has eyes for you," Jeanette smiled.

A small smile tugged at Eleanor's lips, eventually growing into a grin "Thanks Jeanette, you're a sweetheart."

"So, are you going to ask him to be your partner now?" Jeanette asked.

"No way!" Eleanor squeaked, folding her arms.

Jeanette raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Huh? Why not?"

"I'd like for us to do more things together. Just me and you, sister to sister. After what Ian did... I don't want to grow distant from either of you. I feel we don't talk all that much anymore..." Her voice trailed off, looking down at the crayon box she was standing on.

Jeanette felt a little tug on her heart strings. Though she loved both of her sisters dearly, she had been busy with her own career and hobbies and hadn't really thought of spending quality time with them. Jeanette had assumed that Eleanor and Brittany were busy with their own lives as well, but apparently she was wrong. The last thing she wanted to do was create a gap between her siblings, especially since they had always been so close.

She brought Eleanor into a tight hug, smiling.

"I'm sorry, Ellie. You're right, let's work on this together," she said, gathering up a couple of her crayons.

Eleanor nodded, beaming. "Good! Thanks, Jean!"

Brittany suddenly hopped onto the lunch table, giggling about something. Jeanette suspected it had something to do with one of the girls in her clique.

Similar to how Alvin was popular with the jocks, Brittany was popular with the cheerleaders. While the girls were angels around Brittany, they gave Jeanette condescending glares behind her back. Jeanette tried to tell Brittany about it before, but she wouldn't pay her any mind. After that, Jeanette didn't bring it up anymore.

"What's so funny?" Eleanor asked curiously.

"Huh? Oh, they were saying that I should start taking song requests. Said I had a voice of an angel," Brittany smiled proudly, stepping on the small button of a compact mirror one the girls left had left behind. She looked at her reflection, patting her cream-colored cheeks.

Jeanette resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Granted, she wasn't into fashion and primping herself, but for some reason, it annoyed her when her sisters did it.

"Oh, Jeanette?" Brittany said, looking over at her.

She started a little, looking up at the older Chipette. "Y-Yes?"

"Have you considered getting you hair done in a different hair style? Maybe even getting contacts?" Brittany asked gently, returning her eyes to the mini-mirror. "I was just thinking about that earlier today."

Jeanette adjusted her large glasses, suddenly self-conscious. "Well, I-I never thought about it before. I mean..." She couldn't help but stutter a bit, wondering where all this was coming from.

"You should consider it, Jeanette! You'd make a great cheerleader if you'd just change a few things-" Brittany went on.

Jeanette suddenly cut her off, glaring at Brittany. "Wait, what is _that_ supposed to mean?"

Eleanor's eyes widened, looking between her two older sisters apprehensively. "Oh no..."

Brittany finally turned away from the mirror, snapping it shut. "I'm saying that it'd be nice if all of us shared an activity here at school. Cheer-leading is really fun when you get used to it! And I think if we took off your glasses and fixed your hair up a bit, you'd fit right on in! Eleanor and I already look the part."

Eleanor backed away, looking at Jeanette's furious expression.

"'_Look_ the part?' Are you saying I'm too _nerdy_ to be a part of the cheer-leading squad?" Jeanette squeaked, folding her arms. She couldn't believe she was hearing this!

Brittany smile disappeared. "I'm not saying that! It's just - "

Jeanette turned around before Brittany could finish her sentence, jumping off of the table. She looked up at Brittany, who had a stunned look on her face.

"I don't want to hear it, Brittany. If they can't take me how I am, then I don't want to be a part of their squad anyway. And I never thought _you'd_ want to change me so badly," she said bitterly. "I thought my sisters would like me for me!"

Before Brittany could respond, Jeanette scurried out of the lunchroom. Eleanor watched as she left, shaking her head sadly.

Brittany sighed, looking down. "I didn't mean it like that."

"I know, Britt," Eleanor said, patting her shoulder. "She'll come around! Let her think about it."

XOXOXOXOXOXO

_Author's Note: Yay, first chapter done! I understand why Jeanette got upset, but Brittany honestly didn't mean anything like that. _

_Thanks for reading! I'll have the next chapter up soon. Also, I know this is a lot shorter than my usual chapters run, but that's because it's introductory. _

_Thanks so much for reading and all the helpful reviews!_


	2. Small Comforts

**Take Me Away**

**Small Comforts**

**Chapter 2**

**XOXOXOXOXO**

_Author's Note: Getting back into the swing of writing! Hurray!_

_Anyway, writing this story is pretty fun. Jeanette is one of my favorite characters from AATC. Actually, all of the Chipettes are my favorite now! So, don't misunderstand me, this story is definitely NOT anti-Britt or anti-Ellie, I love them all. But this is from Jean's POV, so she might get mad at them sometimes, or become too sensitive to what they say or do._

_Anyway, thanks so much for reading! I love you guys._

XOXOXOXOXOXO

The seemingly endless cascade of the rain outside put her mind at ease, if only for the moment. She felt the cool glass of the window press against her heated face.

She had stormed out of the cafeteria, angered at Brittany's words. How could she say all those things about her? Sure, she might not be as glamorous and fashion-savvy as her two sisters, but she had never thought they looked _down_ on her because of it.

_She's such a brat, _Jeanette thought angrily. _How could she?_

The brunette little chipmunk let out a small sigh, closing her eyes. She couldn't deny that she wasn't hurt at Brittany's words. However, she felt that, perhaps, there was some truth in what her sister had said. Maybe that was the reason her two sisters seemed to get more attention?

She scowled. _What am I thinking? Even if they do, so what? Am I really going to get jealous over that? It's so petty of me..._

"Jeanette!"

She lifted her head from the window, looking down from her perch on the window sill. To her surprise, a familiar boy in a blue hoodie was scurrying towards her. Jeanette quickly smoothed out the fur of her cheeks, her heart racing.

"Oh, Simon! H-Hi, how are you?" She smiled nervously as he climbed up next to her.

"Hey there," he said, giving her a dazzling smile that made her heart skip a beat. "You don't mind the company, do you?"

"Huh? Oh, no! Not at all, by all means," she stuttered, feeling her cheeks burn. "I'd like that."

Jeanette felt so silly as she continued to smile at him nervously. She couldn't help but fidget in front of the tall boy as well, unable to stay still. She had always been a huge fan of Simon Seville. She recalled when she had seen him performing on television. Before that moment, she had never been too interested in television. But after seeing Simon sing and dance, she had taken any chance she could to watch his appearances. So talking to him face-to-face... it was all so unreal to her.

"Are you okay? I saw you run out of there and you looked kind of upset," Simon said, looking at her with a concerned expression.

Jeanette felt horrible for worrying him. _Oh no, he saw me?_

"Well... not really, Simon. Brittany and I had a little argument. Well, more like I snapped at her for wanting me to join the cheer-leading squad. N-Not that that's the only reason I got mad, I mean..." Jeanette wanted to kick herself for babbling so much. What was it about him that made her so shy? Well, more than usual compared to everyone else.

Simon placed a small hand on her knee, which instantly silenced her. She gulped, trying to collecting her thoughts.

"Brittany wanted me to join the squad. Even though it's not really my thing, she said she wanted it to be family activity of some sort. But then she said," she took a deep breath. "She said that they would accept me if I got rid of my glasses and do something different with my hair. She made it sound like I was uglier than her and Eleanor, or something."

As she confessed this to him, her eyes never strayed from her hands in her lap. Simon gave her knee a small squeeze. For a split second, she felt that maybe she had overreacted. After all, even she knew she could be a bit too sensitive.

"I guess I sound kind of babyish, huh?" she mumbled, feeling silly. "I'm sorry."

Simon shook his head. She looked up at him again, finding warmth in his deep blue eyes.

"Not at all, Jeanette. I can't say anything about Brittany, but I think that you're perfect the way you are. Forget about those girls. Who needs them, right?" he said, shrugging.

Jeanette smiled at him, shrugging as well. "Yeah, forget them."

"That's right." Simon smiled, taking her hand and helping her up. "Come on, you can sit by me. I'll keep you company instead."

Jeanette eagerly accepted and followed him back into the cafeteria, feeling more cheerful than she did in days.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

_Author's Note: YES._

_Shameless Simon x Jeanette fluff. :B_

_They're just so perfect for each other!_

_Haha, I hope you guys enjoyed the fluffiness! Next chapter will be up soon._


	3. This is Home

**Take Me Away**

**This is Home**

**Chapter 3**

**XOXOXOXOXO**

_Author's Note: Ah, third chapter already? In one day? Looks like I'm on a roll._

_Thanks so much for all the helpful reviews, you guys! You're awesome._

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Now that the Chipettes were adopted by Dave Seville, the trio of girls now walked home alongside the Chipmunks.

There were rumors going around (mainly by the more immature students) that they had a very incestuous relationship with each other. The group of chipmunks paid no mind to this, for even though they shared the same last name, and looked to Dave as though he was their father, they did not truly consider each other as brothers and sisters.

"And I totally drove the ball in and got the winning goal for my team! You should have seen it, Britt," Alvin bragged, flaunting himself in front of Brittany. She rolled her eyes at him, smirking.

"Alvin, you've told me that story a _thousand_ times! There is no way that you could have outrun all of the opposing team while carrying a football that's bigger than you," she said, giggling.

Alvin's arrogant grin wavered a little.

"D-Did I say I ran _all_ the way across the field? I meant that Maverick helped me across. But I still got most of the goals!" he went on, puffing out his chest. Brittany sighed, shaking her head.

"Hey Eleanor, did you find a partner for that art project?" Theodore asked, helping her off the bus. Eleanor thanked him, walking alongside him as the bus drove off.

"Yeah, I did. Jeanette and I are going to work together," Eleanor said, taking Jeanette's hand and smiling up at her.

Jeanette nodded. "Yes, that's right."

Theodore looked a little disappointed. "Oh..."

The downcast look on his face did not go unnoticed by Simon, who rubbed his head fondly. "If you don't have a partner yet, I'll help you out. That sound good with you, Theodore?"

"Yeah! Thanks Simon," Theodore said, giving him a small smile.

As the small group reached the front steps, Eleanor steered Jeanette off to the side. Jeanette looked down at her curiously.

"Jeanette, are you still mad at us?" Eleanor asked shyly.

"No, Eleanor, I'm not mad at you at all. It's just Brittany," Jeanette replied, shaking her head.

Eleanor's eyes filled with tears at her words and Jeanette immediately regretted her words.

"I don't want us to grow apart! After what Theodore went through.. it sounded so sad..." the blond sniffled. Jeanette leaned down to hug her, calming Eleanor.

"We won't, Ellie. I promise. I just got a little mad today, I'll get over it," she said cheerfully.

Eleanor nodded tearfully, wiping at her cheeks. "O-okay. If you say so."

"Come on. We don't want to catch a cold out here!" Jeanette said, playfully racing her sister to the front door.

* * *

Dave greeted them all as they walked through the front door. He was finally free of his casts and wheelchair. He was still a little sore from the injuries suffered during his sons' latest concert, but he was managing well. He had accepted the girls with open arms, but had kept a watchful eye on all six of them. Even though they were his kids, he was very much aware of their mutual crushes on one another, even if they weren't willing to admit it.

"Hey, guys. How was school today?" he asked, closing the door behind them.

"Great!" they replied in unison, setting down their small backpacks.

"No one got into any trouble?" Dave shot a suspicious look to Alvin, who flinched.

"Oh, come on, Dave! I'm a changed 'munk!" Alvin cried, trying to appeal to his father.

Dave smirked and allowed him the benefit of a doubt. "Mm, we'll see. You guys work on your schoolwork while I get dinner ready."

The Chipmunks and Chipettes walked to their individual rooms; the girls now had a separate room away from the boys. The girls' room was decorated with colors of soft pink, spring green and lush violet. Dave had made sure each of them had enough personal space and could feel right at home.

Brittany's part of the room had a fluffy bed with pink flowers decorating the sheets. She had a stereo, diary, posters, and various music awards near the walls. Though the awards belonged to all three of them, she wanted to keep them near her at all times. It was a constant reminder of how far they'd come.

Eleanor had a horde of stuffed animals around her bed, most of them bunnies. Her bed had green polka dots of varying shades. Her part of the room was pretty tidy, with various storybooks organized in a small bookshelf. Among these books were a couple culinary books. She had taken a great interest in baking, her favorite class being Home economics.

Jeanette's portion of the bedroom was accented with lavender and violet hues. She kept flowers near her window, loving anything to do with nature. She was a very spiritual individual. Feeling that she was very lucky to have made it to the status of a popular songstress, not to mention having been adopted into a very loving family, she prayed that the happy moments would never end.

She climbed onto her bed, spreading out a large piece of white paper. Eleanor combed through her closer, tossing out crayons, markers, and pencils. Brittany had walked past Jeanette without saying a word, hopping onto her bed and turning her back to her.

_She doesn't even have the decency to apologize, _Jeanette thought, scowling.

Jeanette decided to focus her attention on the twin-tailed little girl, not wanting to upset her anymore than she already had. Eleanor hummed as she settled down next to her, picking up a blue crayon with both hands.

"Oh, maybe we should draw our old home! Remember that den we had in the meadow?" Eleanor said excitedly.

"Oh, that's a good idea, Ellie! That's a perfect way to show where we came from," Jeanette said as she stood up. She then walked across the sheet of paper with the point against it, slowly drawing out hills and grasslands. Eleanor took another pencil and drew a large circle near the base of one of them. She stood back to look over their handiwork.

"Mm... we had a hollow log right by the lake, remember? We used to play hide and seek there all the time!" Eleanor pointed out.

Jeanette nodded and sketched out a log not too far from the den while Eleanor drew out the general shape of a lake.

Before Jeanette could finish detailing her sketch, a loud blast of music from Brittany's stereo startled her into running her pencil off the page. She whirled around, watching Brittany dance around in tune to the music, completely oblivious.

"BRITTANY!" she bellowed, covering her ears to block out the ear-splitting music.

Brittany continued to dance, obviously not hearing Jeanette.

"BRITTANY!" screamed both Eleanor and Jeanette.

She stopped, jumping to the stereo and stepping on the 'stop' button.

"What? What happened?" Brittany asked.

Jeanette glared at her. "Why are you playing your music so loud? Eleanor and I are working on a project, you know."

Brittany came over to the two of them, examining their artwork. "What is this supposed to be?"

Eleanor looked at her in disbelief. "It's our old home, silly!"

Brittany's normally beautiful features pinched into a scowl. "Why draw that? I thought it was all in the past now."

Eleanor cast her eyes down, kicking her small feet. "It's to show where we came from, you know?"

Brittany sighed, suddenly looking tired. "Girls, I thought all of that was in the past now."

"It's the past that made us what we are today. Yes, it was tough. But it made us that much stronger, right?" Jeanette said softly, erasing her mistakes. "What's the old saying? What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

Brittany was silent for a few seconds. She then picked up a third pencil, drawing out some clouds. Eleanor and Jeanette looked at each other in surprise. Brittany smiled to herself, moving to draw some curvy, upside-down arcs that connected. After a few seconds of watching her, Jeanette realized she was making out the distant form of birds in the sky.

"You're right, Jeanette. It did make us stronger. That den, Momma, Daddy...all of it made us stronger. It's just... _this_is our home now. Dave, Alvin, Simon and Theodore. 'Home is where the heart is'. That's what Dad told us," Brittany's smile wavered a little at the mention of their mother and father. "I just don't like talking about it, okay?"

Eleanor and Jeanette remained silent, their heads swimming with painful memories of their parents. Jeanette could still hear her father's calm, caring voice. She could still remember her mother's warm embrace. She still longed, how impossible it might be now, for the long afternoons spent together just watching the sunsets everyday after dinner.

"I..." Brittany whispered, swallowing. "I just want us to try and move on. Do you guys understand what I'm saying?"

Jeanette could not, nor would she ever want to, forget what brought them here. But she understood why Brittany had such a hard time looking back on it. She nodded silently, helping her sisters finish the pencil work for the project

_If home is where my heart lies,I guess that means I have two homes I never want to leave._

* * *

_Author's Note: Woo, done with Chapter 3! The fourth one is in progress even as we speak. Still brainstorming. _

_Thank you for reading and for any reviews!_


	4. Roy

**Take Me Away**

**Roy**

**Chapter 4**

**XOXOXOXOXO**

_Author's Note: Man, sorry for the wait. I was having trouble coming up with a new chapter. I really want to see this story through. For you guys~ *love*_

* * *

Soon after everyone had finished eating dinner together, Dave tucked them into their beds. He started to kiss them goodnight, starting with Theodore. Alvin pretended to gag.

"Oh, Dave, we're too old for that! We're not babies!" He protested loudly, folding his small arms. Theodore smiled as Dave kissed him goodnight.

"I don't mind, Dave," He said softly, twitching his small nose. Dave smiled back at him, rubbing his head affectionately.

"Don't listen to Alvin, Theodore. You're never too old to get a goodnight kiss," Dave said, smirking at Alvin.

He kissed the rest of the boys goodnight (Alvin pretending to be disgusted by it and wiping his cheek off). He walked down the hall to do the same with his daughters.

"Goodnight Brittany," Dave placed a small kiss on her forehead. Brittany smiled contently, snuggling into her sheets.

"Goodnight, Dave." She said, closing her eyes.

He kissed Eleanor's cheek, the little one giggling. "Goodnight Eleanor."

"Goodnight Dave!" she said cheerfully, yawning.

Last but not least, he leaned in to give Jeanette a kiss on her forehead, carefully taking off her small glasses and placing them on their nightstand.

"Goodnight Jeanette." He smiled. To his surprise, Jeanette kissed him on the nose.

"Goodnight Dave." She said softly, snuggling under her violet covers.

Dave made sure everything was in place before turning off their light and quietly closing the door behind him.

Jeanette closed her eyes, hearing the light chirp of the crickets outside her window. It was a clear, starry night, the moon casting a milky glow onto her bed. Everything was quiet, only the sounds of her sisters' soft breathing as they drifted off to sleep.

Turning over, the small brunette stared out of her window. She simply could not sleep. Recalling memories of their biological parents, of their old home... it made her long to see how they were doing. Were they still safe, out there in the wilderness?

Something in the distance caught her eye. Craning her neck a bit, she saw a bush rustling furiously, as though two large animals were fighting inside of it. Suddenly, a tall, lean chipmunk hopped out of it, looking in the opposite direction. Something was strangely familiar about him...

Her heart pounded in her chest as she threw the covers back, snatching up her glasses and slipping them on. She jumped onto the ledge near the window, pressing herself close to it as she peered through it, desperate to confirm her suspicions.

"It's him!" She gasped, watching the male chipmunk sniff around a garbage can.

Hoping to catch up with him before he dashed off, she sped out of her room, down the stairs, and through the small mail slot, tumbling off onto the porch. Quickly recovering, she searched him out from her position. He was trying to get into the trash can.

_Ha, he hasn't changed a bit._ She smiled to herself as she dashed across the street.

She was so excited to see her old friend that she didn't think to pay attention to the oncoming car, it's headlights flashing brightly before her. Her body froze in fear, staring up at the huge vehicle as it approached her. The driver blared his horn, trying to scare her out of the way. But it was no use. From inside the car, the driver flinched as he prepared to feel the sickening bump as he ran over the poor creature.

_Ah... oh no..._

"JEANETTE! GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

A strong hand clasped around her small one, pulling roughly to the left and forcing her down. She trembled in terror, holding her head as the the loud rumble of the car driving over them filled her ears. It soon passed, however, as the car sped off. She remained completely unharmed, taking cover in between the deadly wheels of the car.

The older male beside her panted, clutching his chest as he helped Jeanette up. She trembled slightly, shaken by the close encounter.

"God, Jeanette! What in the world were you thinking! You almost got us KILLED!" He rasped, wiping the beads of sweat from his long bangs. Jeanette sighed, feeling ashamed.

"I-I'm sorry, Uncle Roy. I... just didn't expect you to be out here, of all places!" She explained, blushing in embarrassment.

Roy's angry features softened a bit. He could never stay angry at his nieces, especially Jeanette, for long. Pulling her out of the street, he gave her a tight hug.

"It's alright, kid. Just... call out to me next time, okay? Saves me more heart-attacks," Roy laughed. Jeanette nodded shyly, nuzzling into his beige chest. She was so glad to see one of her few family members. It seemed impossible that she'd ever see any of them again.

Roy was her father's older brother. He was the one that suggested the Chipettes get to Hollywood by stowing away in a package. He was well-versed in the ways of humans, thriving in the city.

Roy was a tall, agile chipmunk with a nearly black fur color. His fur was always a mess, it sticking up at odd places. His voice, unlike many of his species, was relatively low. Hazel eyes, combined with his long bangs, made him a bit of a "ladies man" with the females he happened to come across. The only thing was, he did not speak the human language. Something his three nieces could do.

"Uncle Roy, I don't quite understand. What are you doing all the way out here?" Jeanette asked, looking up at him. Roy scratched the back of his head, smiling in an embarrassed way.

"Well, I figured it was time I looked for you girls. When we sent you guys off on your own, I didn't know what to expect. Don't get me wrong, I have all the faith in the world in you guys!" He said quickly when Jeanette gave him a playful look, pretending she was offended. "It's just that, just in case you guys didn't make it, I made my way here to support you!"

That was just like him. Even though he tried to act tough and macho in front of everyone, there was not doubt in her mind that he would do anything for them.

"But how did you even get here? Did you mail yourself here?" she asked, brushing off her fur.

"Ah, actually, I hitched a ride on a plane!"

Jeanette stared at him.

"A little weird, I know, but it was easy! Just slipped myself into one of those little doggy cages. The woman didn't even know the difference. Her dog looked like some kind of rodent anyway," he snickered mischievously. Jeanette giggled.

"So, tell me Jeanette... why are you out here, all alone?" Roy asked, hopping on top of the trash can and peering inside. "I would have thought you'd be living it big, inside one of those mansions I sometimes see around here!"

She blushed a bit, waving her hands around. "Oh, no! We live in that house right over there."

She pointed towards the cozy house across the street. Roy looked it over from his high perch.

"Mm, nice."

"And we do wear clothes. It's very strange, if you ask me; chipmunks wearing clothes. I'm so much more comfortable without them," she admitted, smoothing out her chestnut fur. Roy nodded in agreement.

"How are your sisters? Brittany and Eleanor doing okay? How come they didn't come outside to give their uncle a hug?" Roy looked towards the house as though he expected them to run out any moment.

"They're asleep right now, Uncle Roy. I just happened to be awake when you came by. How did you know we lived there?" Jeanette inquired.

Roy coughed in embarrassment. "Actually, I didn't. I had no idea where you three might be living."

Jeanette giggled, covering her mouth. Roy grinned down at her.

"Hey, you know how stupid I can be! It's the thought that counts, right?" He laughed. Squeezing through the small opening, Roy searched through the garbage. Jeanette wrinkled her nose. "By the way, are you hungry?"

"Ah! Um, no.. thank you, Uncle Roy," Jeanette declined politely, clasping her hands behind her back. "Why don't you come on in and have something to eat instead?"

Roy stopped, inches from eating a moldy french fry. "Oh? Well, I'd be glad to!"

He hopped down beside his niece, following her across the street and onto the porch. Before they entered through the mail slot, she turned to him.

"Please try and not make too much noise, okay? I don't want to wake Dave," she whispered

"Dave? Who's Dave?" Roy raised an eyebrow, baffled.

"He's our adoptive dad. He took us in after what happened with Ian," Jeanette answered.

"Ian?" Roy echoed, even more confused. Jeanette decided she didn't have enough time to explain everything tonight, and should just concentrate on getting her uncle something nice to eat.

"Hehe, never mind! Come on!" Jeanette entered through the slot, closely followed by Roy. She tip-toed towards the kitchen, peeking around the corners. She didn't want to run into anyone so late at night.

"Wow, that's quite a stock of food," Roy whistled as she opened the refrigerator, it filled with various products. He had never before seen so much food in one place in his entire life: cheese, milk, pizza, soda pop, bread, cake, and various other snacks. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

Jeanette searched for something that would be easy for him to take with him while he traveled, and decided on a bag of potato chips and a container of nuts. Roy thanked her profusely as he carried them back to the front door.

"You're welcome, Uncle Roy. I.. hope you'll come back for a visit, once in a while?" Jeanette suggested hopefully, giving him another hug. He patted her head fondly.

"Of course I will, kiddo. Be sure to tell your sisters I said hello. I'll be stopping by again soon,"Roy said, kissing her forehead.

With that said, he was off, scampering back into the night. Jeanette had resisted the urge to ask about her parents, but she felt he had probably been away from them almost as long as they had. Quickly and quietly slipping back into her bedroom, she looked to see if Eleanor or Brittany was awake. Both of their chests rose and fell as they continued to sleep. She slipped under her covers once more, placing her glasses on the side of her bed.

She turned towards the window, smiling as she saw Roy climb up a nearby tree, spilling some of the nuts on the ground.

He was still the same old Roy she had grown up with.

* * *

_Author's Note: Long chapter is long!_

_But that's good! I felt I needed to make my chapters a bit longer. You guys got to see Roy for the very first time. I hope I didn't make him boring or anything._

_Roy belongs to me._

_The next chapter will be up soon. Thank you all for the reviews. Even if I don't always reply, I love them all._


	5. Confrontations

**Take Me Away**

**Confrontations**

**Chapter 5**

**XOXOXOXOXO**

_Author's Note: Woah, sorry for the long wait, you guys! I've just been so busy with multiple things. Had a family crisis, working on my artwork, applying for school... wooh! You can also say I had massive writer's block as well. I'm still not that good at it. *mumble-grumble*_

_Thank you all so much for the encouraging comments. It's really appreciated. Bless you all!_

* * *

"Oh, I couldn't believe my eyes either, when I first saw him! Can you believe it? He came all this way!" Jeanette said excitedly.

"I wish I could have been awake to see him! Uncle Roy's awesome!" A contagious giggle came from the small blonde beside her.

Brittany clicked her tongue irritably, looking over herself in her small, Barbie-esque vanity mirror. This was the last thing she and her sisters needed: a living reminder of their past.

Jeanette clasped her hands together, beaming happily. "Yes, he really wanted to see you, Ellie! You can show him how much you've grown!"

Eleanor grinned, pointing at her foot and wiggling her toes. "Without those awful high-heels!"

Brittany finally turned to her two sisters, sighing deeply. "Girls, _girls_!"

Jeanette and Eleanor turned their attention to their older sister, blinking. Satisfied that she held their attention, she continued.

"I know we all miss Uncle Roy, okay? But we're pop stars now! We can't associate ourselves with... you know," Brittany said, as if she was unwilling to say her own uncle's name.

Jeanette's violet eyes narrowed, staring at her sister as she returned to her mirror. "No, I'm not sure I follow you, Britt."

"He's family! God only knows how long we've only had each other. It'd be nice to have him back with us! Don't you miss him?" Eleanor asked, her cheerful expression fading as she realized that Brittany didn't seem to want to have anything to do with their Uncle Roy.

The redhead twisted a strand of her hair nervously, biting her lower lip. "It's not that. We just came so far. We don't want people to think we're rodents!"

"But Brittany... we _are_rodents," Jeanette replied.

"No, we're not. We're stars, Jeanette. It was always our dream to get to where we are now, and I don't want to lose it all now!" Brittany huffed, folding her arms.

_How could she be so selfish? So self-centered? She complains and complains about how arrogant Alvin is, and here she is, acting like a spoiled diva! No wonder those two like each other so much, whether they like to admit it or not._

Having heard more than enough, Jeanette hopped off of her bed, scurrying into their bathroom. Brittany called out to her, but she had no intention of hearing any more of it. She refused to let her sister's words ruin the rest of her day.

XOXOXOXOXO

"Alright, guys! Now that we've finished that chapter, let's move onto something fun. We've practiced a lot, mainly doing practice sketches and basic colors. I gave you all an assignment last week, to come up with a sketch that reflects something important in your life. Now, that's not due until next Thursday," A collection of relieved sighs could be heard throughout the classroom. Ms. Julie Ortega laughed. "But, would anyone like to talk about what they have planned for their presentation?"

Ms. Ortega looked around her classroom, noting a few raised hands. She smirked as she saw the eager little paw of Eleanor wave around, the small girl jumping up and down as she tried to get her attention.

"Hmm, let me see... Eleanor! Would you like to share?" Julie grinned as the small chipmunk nodded. "Alright, come on up."

Eleanor slid off her desk and made her way to the front of the classroom. Ms. Ortega kindly scooped the tiny girl in her hands and set her down on top of her desk, so the rest of the class could easily see her.

Clearing her throat, she began. "Hi everybody! Well, my sketch will be of my old home. We lived in a forest a long way away from here. My sisters and I lived there with my mommy, daddy and Uncle Roy -"

She was cut off by Ray, a stuck-up girl, in the front of the class. Being a senior, she felt she could boss any of the lower grade students around. If anyone made a fuss, she and her posse would quickly humiliate them in front of the whole student body. In her eyes, the "_rats_" were prime targets.

"Oh, isn't that _sweet?_ A cozy little family of freak animals, who can sing and dance," Ray smirked, filing a perfectly manicured nail. Her two brainless lapdogs, Crystal and Lyra, cackled loudly at the cheap insult.

"Ray, you're out of line. Another stupid comment like that, and you're out my class," Ms. Ortega replied, her eyes delivering a silent warning to the young woman.

"No, it's okay Ms. Ortega," Eleanor said, glaring at Ray. She could handle herself. She didn't let Brittany talk to her that way, and this girl would be no different. "Yes, we came from the forest. I'm surprised that wasn't completely obvious to you, Ray. Or are you so ignorant that you can't even remember that most animals aren't born into a wonderful, cushy lifestyle like you were? That most of us have to work hard to get anything? I think a lot of people would say that as well!"

Ray's cheeks burned furiously. _How dare that fat, filthy rat talk to me that way? Who the hell does she think she is?_

Ms. Ortega, feeling that Eleanor had gotten her say, clapped her hands to dispel the tension in the room. "Thank you, Eleanor. I can't wait to learn more about where you came from. I'm sure it'll make for a very interesting presentation!"

Eleanor felt a little better as her favorite teacher gave her a reassuring smile. She felt that Ms. Ortega was on her side.

XOXOXOXOXO

"Oh, that Ray makes me so mad! I've never met someone who got me that mad before, Jean!" Eleanor fumed, munching on her "baby" carrots. She never understood why they were called that name. They seemed pretty big compared to a chipmunk!

Jeanette patted her shoulder sympathetically. "Slow down, Ellie, or you'll choke."

"Who does she thinks she is, the Queen of England? She walks around all high and mighty, thinking she can insult anyone! As if people have to _deal _with that kind of nonsense!" Eleanor's rant continued, talking between bites and spraying a few pieces of carrot. Jeanette chuckled to herself, deciding it better to just let her little sister vent.

Jeanette had seen the girl in question around a couple of times. She made a point to stay out of her way. Something told her that Ray would have a field day on her, belittling her in front of everybody. Jeanette really hated that part of her, the part that made her want to avoid any kind of confrontation. Brittany and Eleanor could easily stand up for themselves, and wouldn't think twice before going head-to-head with someone if the situation called for it. But not shy, timid Jeanette. She was always nervous with things like that.

"That kind of attitude just burns me up! I'd show her a thing or two..." Eleanor grumbled, glaring over at one of Ray's followers with disgust. "Just look at her so-called friends! I'm sure goldfish have more common sense than - Jean? Are you listening?"

"Mm? Oh! I..."

Eleanor raised a brow, looking over at the distracted brunette. Jeanette was seemingly staring into space. She followed her trail of vision to a certain blue-clad chipmunk, smiling knowingly.

"He... looks awfully lonely over there, all by himself," Jeanette said softly, clasping her hands behind her back. A light blush spread across her round cheeks as she continued to look at Simon. He was playing chess by himself, timing himself as he concentrated on the checkered board.

_I don't understand why no one wants to be around him. He's so easy to talk to! Even before I met him, it was obvious to me that he was the most level-headed, the most understanding..._

A small nudge roused her out of her thoughts. Eleanor wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Maybe someone should keep him company?"

"You're right, Ellie," Jeanette said, understanding the hint.

Jeanette hopped down from the lunch table, galloping towards Simon's table. Halfway to his table, however, she noticed that Eleanor was not following her. She looked back at her, with Eleanor only offering a shrug.

"Hey, three's a crowd!" she smiled.

Jeanette gulped, realizing that she was going to be alone with Simon.

_Oh God. What should I say? What should I do? I'm not good at things like this. I just know I'm going to say something stupid and embarrass myself! _Jeanette thought. Fighting the intense urge to back out and run back to Eleanor, Jeanette continued on her path towards Simon.

Simon looked up from his the chessboard, hearing something land near him. Without looking up, he reached out a paw.

"Ah, Theodore, there you are! You wanted me to teach you how to play chess, so..." His voice trailed off as he realized his hand was not on his younger sibling's shoulder, but instead on the chest of... of...

"Gah! Jeanette! I'm _so_ sorry, I didn't realize you were, um...!" Simon said frantically, immediately snatching his paw back and looking at her with wide, blue eyes. A bright blush burned at his cheeks as he tried to apologize. "I-I didn't see you there..."

He felt like such an idiot. All he wanted to do was crawl under a rock and stay there for the next few centuries. _Now she must think I'm some sort of antisocial pervert!_

Jeanette swallowed, equally embarrassed. She knew it was an accident, however, and placed a paw on his shoulder to quiet him.

"It's alright, Simon. It was an accident! You're not that kind of guy," Jeanette said, smiling warmly. Simon coughed a little, smoothing out the fur on top of his head.

"Ah, well, nonetheless. My apologies. So, um... what are you doing over here? I'm sure your sisters are missing you," he said, glancing down at his king.

"W-well... I saw that you were alone over here, so.. I thought you could use some company," Jeanette felt awful as soon as the words left her lips. _Good going, Jean! Add insult to injury, why don't you?_

To her surprise and relief, Simon smiled down at her.

"I really appreciate your concern, Jeanette. I don't have much to look forward to during lunch. Alvin's off with the popular crowd, and Theodore has his own little fan club. So I'm left to entertain myself," He mused, moving one of the black pawns over a space.

Feeling strong empathy towards him, Jeanette sat down beside him. "I know how that is. Brittany wants to be a cheerleader, so she's always sitting with them. Eleanor and I sometimes sit together, but she's become quite popular as well, just like Theodore. I usually go to eat outside."

A flick of his ears let her know that he was listening. He rubbed his chin as he thought out his next move.

"Mm. Brittany's the female Alvin, I see. And Eleanor's considered the 'cute' one out of the three of you. It's really the same as us," Simon said. "I guess we have a lot more in common than I thought, huh?"

"Yeah, you're right! Sometimes I wonder what makes them so special," Jeanette said, sighing.

His deep blue eyes widened in surprise. "Jeanette!"

She bit her lip, hating herself for saying such a childish, spiteful thing. What was wrong with her? It wasn't her sisters' fault that they had fans. That's just the way they are. Since when did she start to get such jealous thoughts?

"That was out of line, I know. I didn't mean it that way, really. I just don't see why -"

"-they get all the spotlight?" Simon cut in.

Jeanette nodded.

"To be honest, I wonder the exact same thing more and more nowadays," Simon admitted with a small sigh. "And it's perfectly understandable that you do too. I mean, don't get me wrong; I love my brothers. I just wonder what they have that I don't, sometimes."

Jeanette twisted a strand of her chocolate hair around her finger. "I don't want to seem petty, or jealous, Simon. I really don't."

"You don't. I know we only met a couple months ago, but I know you're not that kind of person at all. You have feelings just like everyone else out there. Don't be ashamed to admit them," Simon said firmly, looking directly into her eyes. He wanted her to know that he was sincere, and not just saying all this just to make her feel better. Though he wouldn't deny he wanted that result too. When she was happy, he was happy.

Touched by his words, Jeanette smiled. Not a nervous smile, but a confident and self-assured smile. "Thanks, Simon. I try and not let it get to me, but it feels great to talk about it with someone."

He grinned back at her, giving her paw a small squeeze. Her heart raced at his touch, and she fought the burning in her cheeks.

"My pleasure. You can talk to me anytime."

* * *

_Yeah, trying to set up some new enemies and conflicts into the mix. The story is far from over._

_More fluff! I'm a sucker for SimonxJeanette stuff, I admit it! But I'm trying to have a transition. Right now they are definitely attracted to each other, that much is obvious. But I always felt the best and longest relationships start out when the couple can first function as friends. This isn't always true, of course, but I feel it's more natural for Simon and Jeanette to become closer before they start to date and all that awesome stuff. Believe me, it's killing me a bit because I LOVE romance for all three couples. But I want this story to stretch, so I just have to suck it up!_

_Thank you all for reading, and supporting it in general. You guys are awesome, and this is a big part of what makes me want to continue my stories. Much love!_


	6. Brush with the Wild

**Take Me Away**

**Brush with the Wild**

**Chapter 6**

* * *

_Author's Note: Sorry again for the long wait. I suck at updating, I admit it! Feel free to pelt me with old marshmallows._

_This one was rather hard to write for some reason. Ah well, with this one out the way, I think it'll be easier to move things along._

* * *

"...Dave? Dave!"

"Mm... hm? Jeanette? What is it?" Dave Seville rubbed his eyes, glancing over at the clock on his nightstand. The bright red numbers flashed that it was 2:45 in the morning. He groaned softly, pinching the space between his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Dave. I just wanted to ask you something," Jeanette mumbled. _Maybe I should have asked him earlier?_

He sat up, the little chipmunk sliding off his chest and onto his lap. Shaking his head, he smoothed over his hair. "Well, I'm up now. What's wrong?"

"Well... I saw an old friend. More than an old friend, really. It was my uncle," Jeanette started, looking up at Dave.

"Your uncle? Here? I thought you three came from far away?" Dave said, confused.

"Oh, we did! But he came all this way looking for us. I saw him just across the street the other night," Jeanette pointed towards Dave's bedroom window. "He went up that large oak tree, in fact. I'd like him to come visit us sometime! I-If that's okay with you, Dave," she added shyly.

He rubbed the back of his head, thinking it over. What harm would it cause to let the girls see their uncle?

"Well, sure, Jeanette. I don't see any reason why not. Family is family. Can he talk too?" Dave asked.

Jeanette shook her head. "No, he can't. It seems like our ability to speak the human language is inherited, not really taught."

"I see. Well, it's fine with me. We can all go out and find him tomorrow," Dave offered, stretching out his arms.

Jeanette hesitated, biting her lip with uncertainty. Dave raised a brow.

"I... don't know if we should _all_ go. It might scare him to see... um..." she mumbled, her hands clasped behind her back. She hated to say it this way, but she knew her uncle too well. He was extremely cautious of humans, and she didn't want to frighten him away.

Dave nodded. "I understand. You should take Brittany and Eleanor with you. The boys and I will stay here and get something nice together for him."

Jeanette smiled brightly. "Thank you so much, Dave! You're the best!"

She hugged him, or as well as her small arms would allow her to. Dave smiled and patted her head. "No problem. Now, off to bed. I have to get a few hours' sleep before heading to work."

Saying goodnight, Jeanette hopped off of Dave's bed and walked back to her own room to turn in for the night.

* * *

Jeanette helped Eleanor put on her spring-green jacket. She had some trouble doing so as her chubby sister bounced up and down with excitement. _She looks about ready to burst!_

"Oh, hurry, hurry! We don't want to miss him!" Eleanor squeaked, unable to sit still. Finally catching an arm in a sleeve, she slipped Eleanor's jacket on.

"There! Now, we're ready," Jeanette grinned, stepping back as her little sister hopped of the bed, charging towards the bathroom. She stopped at the threshold, calling out.

"Brittany, come on! It's time to go!"

"Not yet, Eleanor! My hair's not decent yet!" Brittany yelled back. Eleanor rolled her eyes impatiently, pushing open the door. She looked up at the redhead standing on the edge of the sink, looking herself over in the large mirror. She wore her usual pink attire, but also wore an expensive black leather jacket, with a cursive letter "B" printed above the left pocket.

"Oi. Leave it to Brittany to simply go outside dressed like she was headed to a party," Eleanor said to herself with a giggle. She folded her arms, tapping her foot. "Do you _have_ to go out like that? We're going to find Uncle Roy and bring him back. No more than that."

Brittany sighed as if she was dealing with a bothersome child. "I'm well aware of that, thank you. But I have a reputation to uphold, you know!"

Eleanor stomped her little foot. "Come _on_,Brittany. Now!"

Brittany gritted her teeth. She glanced down at Eleanor, who looked back defiantly. Biting back a snappy comeback, she jumped down from the sink, stomping past her little sister. Eleanor smiled in satisfaction, closing the door behind them as they made their way downstairs and into the living room. Jeanette, the Chipmunks, and Dave were waiting for them near the front door.

"Alright, girls. I'm not going to worry. You're all old enough to take care of yourselves. You'll be alright out there," Dave said, though it seemed more like he was trying to convince himself of this fact. He tried to give them all enough freedom, since they were technically young adult chipmunks. But his fatherly instincts were hard to ignore, and he was somewhat reluctant to let his "daughters" go out there by themselves. Even if it was simply across the street and into a peaceful forest reserve.

"Aw, don't worry about them, Dave. We've all gotta stretch our metaphorical wings sometime," Theodore reassured him, patting his leg.

Simon nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it'll be fine, Dave."

"I still think I should come along. Just in case they need someone to ward off wolves! Or... or hawks!" Alvin said, striking ninja poses and punching the air with his tiny fists.

Brittany rolled her eyes, a small smile on her face. "Oh, please. You're all talk, Alvin."

"Am not!" he said, smirking.

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

Dave tapped his foot impatiently. The two bickering chipmunks stopped, glaring at each other silently.

"Alright, I'd like you to find him _before _it gets dark," Dave said, opening the door and letting the cold air rush in. Jeanette clutched her jacket, bracing herself.

"We'll be back soon, I'm sure," Jeanette reassured them, waving back at them as she and her sisters made their way down the pathway. She saw Simon wave back at her before the door closed. She followed them to the edge of the sidewalk, the other two looking at her questioningly.

"Okay. So where did you see Roy?" Brittany asked, looking both ways across the street.

Jeanette stroked her chin, looking out for the spot. She knew that she had seen him near a trash bin, but that was unreliable. A large tree caught her attention. It was large, and didn't seem very old at all. The leaves were beginning to turn an auburn color, with hints of green. She glanced back at her bedroom window before nodding her head, certain she had seen him settle there the night they parted.

"That tree over there! I saw him go up there before I went to sleep," Jeanette said, pointing.

Looking both ways before crossing, she quickly scurried across. She only stopped when she reached the base of the tree, Eleanor and Brittany joining her seconds later. Her violet eyes scanned the area cautiously, looking out for any stray dogs.

"I think I see him!" Eleanor exclaimed, pointing up at one of the lower branches. Lounging on it was their uncle, a blade of grass between his teeth. His hands were behind his head, and Jeanette could tell that he was taking a nap.

"It's about time," Brittany muttered, her arms folded. "What a bother."

Jeanette ignored her, cupping both her hands around her mouth. "Uncle Roy! We're here!"

Roy's eyes snapped open, looking around wildly before casting his eyes downward. He spotted his three nieces, two of them waving up at him. He smiled brightly, sitting up. "My girls! So you finally came to see me!"

Descending down the tree, he held his arms out for a hug. Jeanette and Eleanor eagerly went to meet him, hugging him tightly and nuzzling into his chest.

"I missed you all so much. Just look how much you've all grown! Regular heart breakers now, eh?" Roy grinned, wiggling his eyebrows. "You're all getting to be so beautiful!"

Eleanor giggled cheerfully. "Oh, stop it! You act like we have raving fan boys!"

"You don't? Pssht!" Roy joked. He looked over at his eldest niece, who was looking at her paws with great interest. "Well, hello there, pretty lady. Too much of a star to give your uncle a hug?"

Brittany hesitantly made her way over, giving him a loose hug. Jeanette glared at her.

_What is up with her lately? I knew she was self-centered, but I never figured she could be so cold to her own family. Maybe I should have just brought Ellie along,_ Jeanette thought irritably.

Roy patted her head fondly, smiling. He didn't dwell on the fact that his oldest niece wasn't thrilled to see him. He still was very happy to see his three favorite girls.

"So, girls!" Roy said, clapping his hands together. "We have a lot to catch up on!"

"We do. Dave thought it'd be a good idea for you to join us for dinner," Jeanette offered. She was eager to introduce him to the others. And she was sure he'd appreciate the warmth and good food anyway. Roy raised his eyebrows in surprise, flattered.

"Really? That sounds great! But, um, I don't know how much I can talk to the guy," he laughed. Jeanette waved his words away.

"That's alright! Dave wouldn't mind you being around," she said kindly.

"And you can meet the Chipmunks!" Eleanor quipped. "They're awesome! Especially Teddy," she added with a girlish giggle.

Brittany sputtered. _Oh, that's just great. Not only do we have to keep him around, but they have to meet the Chipmunks too? Somebody just shoot me, seriously..._

"Sounds like fun. Lead the way!" Roy grinned, smoothing out his fur in an attempt to look neater. It simply sprung back out messily, causing his nieces to laugh. "Ah, whatever!"

The Chipettes led the way back to their house. Eleanor, surprisingly, had no problem climbing up the nearby bird bath and ringing the doorbell. It had always amazed Jeanette how athletic she could be, despite her diminutive and chubby size.

Heavy footsteps could be heard inside as Dave made his way towards the front door. Roy coughed nervously, glancing back towards the forest. Jeanette placed a reassuring paw over his, giving it a squeeze. Roy smirked, squeezing back.

The door opened before them, Dave holding a small towel in his left hand. He smiled at Roy, moving to allow them to come in.

"Oh, good, you found him. Come on in, we set up dinner while you guys were away," Dave said.

The small group made their way inside, Dave closing the door behind them. Jeanette was impressed: the whole downstairs portion of the house was immaculately clean, and smelled great from the light burning of incense. She sniffled the air, savoring the smell of cornbread stuffing and macaroni & cheese. She giggled, hearing a loud growl come from Roy's stomach.

"Now that I can see it all in the light, it's clear guys are living the high life!" Roy marveled, looking around the large dining room. He whistled softly, checking out the mahogany wood table. Eleanor slipped out of her jacket, taking Jeanette and Brittany's as well.

"Mm, Dave takes good care of us here. Much better than our time with Ian," Eleanor said bitterly, remembering the jerk who attempted to split up the trio of sisters. Just thinking about it got her blood boiling!

"I agree, that was a tough time," Brittany said, equally disgusted with their former manager. If there was one thing Brittany never tolerated, it was someone trying to hurt or separate her sisters. She hopped onto a nearby chair, then launched herself on top of the table. "He wanted to split us up."

Roy followed suit, taking the seat across from Dave's usual spot. "What? That's terrible! What on earth would he want to do that for?"

"He wanted to make me the only star. I wouldn't have anything to do with it, though," Brittany replied, straightening out her skirt as she settled down between Jeanette and Eleanor. "If it wasn't for Alvin -"

"Alvin?" he questioned. Brittany glared at him.

"You know, Alvin, the leader of the Chipmunks? The _hot_ one!" Brittany clarified. Alvin, of course, was not within earshot, so she didn't mind talking about him in this way. Jeanette and Eleanor glared at her, shooting daggers. "What?"

Roy laughed heartily. "Oh, well, I don't look at these young boys _that_ way. Is he the blue one with the glasses? I can never remember -"

"**NO!**" yelled Jeanette and Brittany simultaneously. The room got quiet, the Chipmunks and Dave frozen at the threshold of the kitchen door, blinking at them along with Roy. Eleanor went into a fit of giggles as Jeanette's and Brittany's cheeks burned red.

"Er. I mean, _no_," Jeanette muttered, looking down. _I can't __**believe**_ _I just reacted like that in front of Simon! God, Jeanette, how obvious can you get?_

"It's definitely _not_ him," Brittany added, shivering at the thought. She leaned over, whispering, "He's the one in the red."

"Oh! My bad!" Roy said, embarrassed.

"You'll know them when you see them! Simon and Alvin are Jeanette's and Brittany's soul mates!" Eleanor teased, giggling again when her sisters blushed and glared at her.

Brittany writhed her hands together as the boys hopped onto the table. Roy looked them all over carefully. They were all young, transitioning into adulthood. They all reminded him of his own nieces! He never really paid too much attention to them, only really watching their concerts when one of the girls dragged him along. He looked over the tallest one with glasses: he was good-looking, but he could also see he was mindful of his manners. Roy watched him set the table along with Dave. He assumed he was the oldest, noting how tall he was. It was obvious just by looking at him how very wrong he would be for Brittany, and how right he would be with Jeanette. Realizing this only made Roy feel even more silly for his mistake earlier.

Roy then looked over at the red-clad Chipmunk. He was a little taller than Brittany, and had a large yellow "A" stamped on the front of his shirt. He wore a matching cap on top of his head. He could see he had a cocky attitude: he was winking at Brittany from across the table. _Ah, he thinks he's a regular Casanova. This must be who Brittany was talking about! _He sneered as he watched Alvin make kissy faces at his oldest niece, much to the enjoyment of Brittany. _Oh boy, if he's anything like I was when I was his age...!_

Casting his eyes towards the smallest, rotund one, he cocked his head. The green one was carefully arranging the flowers in the middle of the table, trying his best to make them look nice. Theodore noticed Roy staring at him, giving him a friendly smile. He smiled back at him before Theodore continued to work on the arrangement. _He's a friendly one. He seems kinda innocent; he must be the baby of the family!_

He glanced over at Eleanor, who was looking dreamily at the green-clad boy with a soft smile. _Oh-ho! She teased her sisters, but look at her making googly eyes!_

Once the table was set, Dave served everyone their food. Jeanette thanked him as he gave her a generous portion of stuffing, filling the cup beside her halfway full with tea. She smiled as Roy looked over his food hungrily, eyes widened with anticipation.

They said their prayer, which Roy easily understood and participated in. This was a common thing they did back in their home in the forest as well. Throughout dinner they all chatted together, talking about what went on in their day. Jeanette translated anything Dave said to Roy, and vice-versa. Roy and Dave even laughed at some of the things the other said! Cheerfully, she joined in the conversation with the rest of her family, feeling the night was going remarkably well. Even Brittany's distant attitude towards Uncle Roy didn't ruin it for her. In fact, to Jeanette's pleasant surprise, Brittany actually warmed up to Roy and frequently made conversation!

After dinner, Dave suggested that all the chipmunks relax in the living room while he got ready for bed. It was the weekend, and Dave needed the rest more than anyone else. The Seville kids all said their goodnights, with Roy waving at him as he retired upstairs.

"So, tell me. You all live here... together?" Roy asked, settling on top of a pillow. Jeanette nodded, sitting next to Simon and Brittany. "We have separate rooms, though."

Roy nodded, sighing in relief. "Good. You may be grown-ups, but that doesn't mean I have to like it!"

Alvin grinned, twisting his hat around. "You seem a lot more laid back than Dave, though. He's always butting in!"

"Because of _you_, Alvin. And I can't blame him!" Jeanette joked. Alvin poked his lip out, glaring at them as they laughed.

"Whatever!" Alvin said, folding his arms.

"Mr. Roy, how old are you? You don't seem old enough to be an uncle to anyone!" Theodore said, sharing a candy bar with Eleanor. Roy poked out his chest.

"I'm thirty-two years old. Still in my prime," Roy snickered.

"And yet, without a steady girlfriend," Brittany smirked. Roy pretended to be hurt.

"Hey, now! I'm just too much for any _one_ girl!" Roy grinned.

"Tell me about it," Alvin agreed. Brittany shoved him, laughing. "Ha ha, what? You know it's true, Britt!" he puffed out his tiny chest, much like Roy.

Simon sat up, leaning against the couch. "You must have come a long way, Roy. Was it tough going?"

"Mm? Oh, yeah. I didn't have to go on foot, though. Simply hitched a ride with some old filly who thought I was her little toy dog!"

They all shared a good laugh at this. Jeanette lied down on her stomach, her full tummy making her feel content and relaxed.

"Do you all sing together now?" Roy continued, rubbing his full belly. Jeanette nodded.

"Sometimes we do. Other times, we sing as separate bands," she explained, smoothing out her brown hair. She wished she had took the time out to put it into a neater ponytail. Roy nodded, mulling it over in his head.

"Do you all take turns singing the lead? You know, share the spotlight?" Roy asked.

"Alvin and I are always the lead singers," Brittany said proudly. Alvin smiled, nodding.

Roy raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Seriously? You never switch it up a bit?"

"No, not really. I'm not really cut out for things like that," Jeanette said. She was always used to Brittany taking the spotlight. Even though Jeanette's dream was to become a great singer, she didn't think she had what it took to actually take center stage. Brittany seemed to revel in the attention, supported by herself and Eleanor. The thought of herself being the lead singer made her heart race. More importantly, it was obvious to both her and Eleanor that Brittany had the most passion for their music. So, Brittany taking the lead was never a problem.

_Oh, god, I couldn't do it. I'm so clumsy, I just know I'd trip up and ruin the whole performance..._

"Now that you mention it, I do think that's something we should talk to Dave about," Eleanor said, nodding her head slowly. "Britt and Alvin are always the ones to get the most attention during concerts. Why don't we have our time to shine, at least sometimes?"

Theodore and Simon agreed immediately. Alvin and Brittany glanced at each other with worried eyes.

Theodore glanced at the clock on top of the fireplace, taking a final bite out of the chocolate. "Oh my! It's getting late, guys."

Jeanette looked up at the clock as well. Sure enough, it was well past midnight. She stretched out her arms, feeling the dull ache in them. Now that she thought about it, she was _exhausted_. Today had been very eventful; Uncle Roy finally got to meet her new friends, and she was sure that her parents would be united with them soon as well.

"Well, I'd better get going," Roy said, standing up and stretching his arms.

"No, that's alright. You can sleep down here on the couch, if you'd like," Simon offered kindly, straightening himself up. Roy glanced at him, unsure.

"Is that alright? Really?" Roy asked, twitching his scruffy tail.

"Sure, Dave wouldn't mind. Just... try not to make a mess, you know? He has to deal with a lot, taking care of us. But I'm sure he'd prefer you staying here than out there in the cold," Simon said. Roy gave him a warm smile.

"Thank you. I think I'll take you up on that offer," Roy said, flopping back down onto the couch.

"Here's the remote, Mr. Roy." Theodore said, handing him the remote control to the television. "You can watch anything you want."

"Much appreciated, much appreciated," Roy said gratefully. He leaned back against the pillow, sighing contently. "This is the life, that's for sure!"

"Goodnight!" the boys said, heading upstairs. Jeanette stroked her uncle's hair, leaning down to give him a kiss on the forehead.

"Sweet dreams, Uncle Roy," she said softly, giving him a squeeze. Eleanor and Brittany embraced him as well, giving him a kiss goodnight.

He smiled happily, hugging them back. "Goodnight, girls. Sleep tight! See you all in the morning."

Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor made their way upstairs and towards their bedroom. Jeanette yawned, looking through her dresser for her lavender nightgown. Eleanor was already dressed in a long basketball jersey, fluffing her pillow.

"That was so much fun, wasn't it? It was just like old times," she said nostalgically as she rubbed her eyes.

Jeanette pulled the gown over her head, smoothing it out. The soft, cool silk felt good on her downy fur. She decided to let down her ponytail as well, figuring she'd sleep better without it. Turning towards her bed, she smiled tiredly.

"Yeah! It was definitely a lot of fun. I hope we get to do it again tomorrow," Jeanette yawned, climbing onto her purple bed and snuggling under the sheets.

Brittany reached for the large lamp, clicking it off. She had also opted to let her auburn hair rest gently on her petite shoulders. "I admit, it was a great day..."

Jeanette's ears twitched. _Why does she sound so sad all of a sudden? Brittany can be so unpredictable sometimes. First, she acts as though she detests Uncle Roy, and now she acts like she's saddened to be away from him, even if he's only a few feet away. Maybe I'm being a bit unfair, thinking of her this way. _Jeanette's nose twitched guiltily. _She may be a bit selfish sometimes, but she's one of the sweetest, strongest people I know. I should really stop over thinking things..._

"Maybe he can stay a little longer. I don't think Dave would mind much," Jeanette mused, closing her eyes. Her eyelids were very heavy, and she was beginning to drift off.

Eleanor hummed a bit at this, mumbling. Jeanette smiled, hearing her drift off.

"Goodnight, Eleanor. Goodnight, Brittany," she mumbled, fading into her own dreams.

"Goodnight, girls," Brittany yawned, slipping into her own dreams.

* * *

Jeanette tossed and turned, her eyes shut tight. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't go back to sleep. She squinted at the star-shaped clock beside her bed, seeing that it was five o' clock in the morning. She sighed, burying her head under the pillow. _God... this happens every time I have that dream. The dream with mom and dad.. _

Rubbing her eyes, she tried to calm herself down. _They're fine. Absolutely fine. Nothing happened to them while we were away, I'm sure._

She relaxed a bit as she continued to chant this in her head. According to Uncle Roy, it hadn't been long at all since he left them to find Jeanette and her sisters. He had told them that they were taking care of themselves, and that they missed them all greatly. _Oh, I wish I could see them. I pray every night that nothing happens to them, that God may watch over them. And they're survivors anyway, so I'm sure it'll be alright._

She felt a bit too warm under all the layers of covers. Kicking the sheets off, she hopped off the bed and made her way towards the window, unlatching it. She pushed it open a little, the cool night breeze caressing her heated fur. She wondered if it was even possible to bring them here with the rest of them. She knew her mother wouldn't much like the idea of living with humans. Heck, that was part of the reason she didn't want her daughters to audition in the first place! But their father had reasoned with her, emphasizing that it was their dream to make it big. Their mother tearfully agreed to it. _Momma always worried too much._

She smiled at the fond memory. _Maybe I'll talk about it with Uncle Roy and Dave. Maybe we can find some way to meet up with them!_

She nodded her head, satisfied. Closing and locking the window, she made her way back to bed. She eventually drifted off, sleeping peacefully for the rest of the night.

* * *

_Author's Note: Yay, Uncle Roy got to visit! I wonder why Brittany seems so troubled? We'll find out soon enough!_

_Next chapter will be up soon~ Thanks for reading! And thank you all for the lovely feedback! I never imagined my stories would get such nice reviews._


	7. Complications

**Take Me Away**

**Complications**

**Chapter 7**

_Author's Note: Pfft, this took forever to brainstorm. ;u;_

_Ah well, I'd rather take a lot of time to properly write this story out than just slap something together just to prove I'm not slow. (Which I am. /fail) But you guys deserve a good, quality story. And this is one of the few stories that I'm actually happy with and have spent a lot of time on. _

_Also, Old Flame is loosely tied into this, so there are some things that might be explained there that won't be explained in Jeanette's POV, and vice-versa. Old Flame is from mostly Brittany's POV._

_Also, since I'm doing stories based on Jeanette and Brittany, I'm thinking of doing one on Eleanor as well. Though, I don't want this story to get too complicated, so I'll likely make a story from her POV that's not connected to this and Old Flame._

_I want to give a big thanks to Contemperina! She's the best beta reader ever. :D_

* * *

_BREEP! BREEP! BREEP! BREEP!_

Jeanette clenched her eyes tightly, flipping over and clasping her pillow over her ears. She opened an eye to glance over at Brittany, who was doing the same.

"Britt, did you leave on your alarm again? It's Saturday!" Jeanette yelled over the constant noise.

Brittany looked back at her, yelling at the top of her lungs. "No! I think it was one of the guys!"

Jeanette lifted her head and looked over at Eleanor, who was sleeping as soundly and peacefully as a baby. _Good lord! How in the world does she manage to sleep through all this?_

"HEY! WHAT THE _FUCK_ IS THAT NOISE!"

She winced upon hearing Uncle Roy bellow as he made his way up the stairs. She was thankful that Dave couldn't understand him; he wasn't a fan of such language. He appeared in their doorway, clutching his ears.

"My bad! I forgot to turn my alarm off..!" they heard Theodore yell from his room. Seconds later, the alarm ceased its irritating noise, much to the relief of the others.

Roy sighed, rubbing his head. His fur was greatly ruffled, and he was mumbling crankily under his breath. "You would think I'd be able to sleep in, without having to worry about hawks or owls out there," he said, scratching his back. "Well, at least we're all up now," he pointed out optimistically. "Where's Dave?"

Jeanette slid off her bed, smoothing her violet nightgown. "Dave had to go to work today! He'll be back later in the afternoon, don't worry," she assured him, looking herself over in the small vanity mirror Dave had custom made for each of them. She sighed, pulling at one of her stands of brown hair. She wished she knew what to do with it. She had the longest hair out of all of them, but, unfortunately, this made hers the messiest as well!

Roy walked over, looking over her dresser and vanity. "Curious! They've shrunk their things down to our size!"

Jeanette giggled, brushing her hair with the tiny matching brush. "Yup! Dave felt that a lot of our 'necessities' were too big, so he tried to get them to fit our needs."

"Very thoughtful of him," Roy said, rubbing his chin. "So, what's the agenda for the day, girls?"

"There _is_ none," Brittany answered bluntly, hopping onto Eleanor's bed to wake her up. "I was planning to spend some time with my friends."

Roy frowned, watching her. "But I'm family. I'm sure your little human friends can accept that you have more urgent plans, Brittany," he said reproachfully.

Jeanette saw Brittany scowl in his direction. "Uncle Roy's right, Brittany. You can take the time out," she pointed out gently. She wasn't sure what had happened over the night, but it seemed Brittany went right back to her negative attitude towards Uncle Roy.

Eleanor, rubbing her eyes as she woke up, went unnoticed as Brittany cut her eyes at Jeanette, making her flinch inwardly at the cold gaze. "No one asked you, Jeanette," she snapped.

Brittany jumped off Eleanor's bed and made her way towards their shared bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Jeanette, Roy and Eleanor looked on in silence, shocked at her behavior.

Roy narrowed his eyes, looking extremely peeved. "What is _up_ with that girl? I don't remember her being so snappy and disrespectful."

Jeanette scowled and shook her head, furious with Brittany. "Me neither. I'm sorry, Uncle Roy," she apologized for her sister. "I'll have a talk with her later. She's been acting this way a lot recently."

"Maybe _I_ should," Uncle Roy responded. "The Brittany I knew was always a sweetheart, and, for the most part, levelheaded. She never went out of her way to intentionally hurt people—especially family," he mused, smoothing out the dark fur on his head. Jeanette carefully arranged her hair in its trademark ponytail, satisfied.

"We can deal with that later!" Eleanor chimed in, sliding off her bed. "Right now, who's up for some breakfast?"

Roy brightened up at the notion of food, licking his lips. "_Now_ we're talking. What do you all usually eat?"

"We usually have Toaster Waffles!" Jeanette explained, hooking her arm in his. "But, on weekends, Eleanor and Theodore pitch in to make some homemade pancakes."

Roy looked impressed by this mention of talent. "Wow, Ellie! You can cook?"

Eleanor smiled proudly, puffing out her chest a little. "Yup! Theo and I want to be chefs one day! Our pancakes are the best in the world!"

Jeanette smiled at her little sister. "Yup! We're taking over music _and_ the culinary arts."

The three of them laughed heartily, making their way into the hall and downstairs.

"First food, then the world!" Eleanor laughed, running into the kitchen. There, they found Theodore already mixing a large bowl of batter. He was wearing a dark-green apron over his usual attire. He smiled as the three entered the kitchen; especially at Eleanor.

"Hey guys! Good morning! Sorry about the alarm," he said, still embarrassed.

Eleanor hummed as she tied on a light green apron. "It's alright, Theo! It was an accident," she smiled at him warmly, coming to settle beside him. She looked over the batter. "It looks good! I don't even think you _need_ my help now!"

Theodore blushed, going back to mixing. "T-that's not true. You're better at this than I am, Eleanor."

Roy smirked, amused by the conversation. He leaned into Jeanette, so that only she could hear. "Eleanor and Theodore... they have a thing for each other, I take it?"

Jeanette smiled and gave a small nod, watching the two chubby chipmunks work together to cook breakfast. "Yeah, they do. They're adorable together, aren't they?"

"I... I suppose," he said reluctantly, still watching Theodore closely.

Jeanette climbed onto the table, starting to set it. "Would you like a bath?"

"I already had one," Roy responded, licking his arm a bit.

Jeanette chuckled at his naivety. "No, no! A _bath_bath. Like in a tub," she explained, setting a plate for each of them.

Roy gave her a confused look. "Er... I don't know about that. I always thought I kept pretty clean."

"You'll feel better, I'm sure! A bath has nice, hot water, and lots of soap," Jeanette said dreamily. Baths were one of the few human activities she actually enjoyed. She couldn't deny that a long, hot bath made her feel right at ease.

Roy thought it over for a few seconds, scratching his ear absentmindedly. "Alright, what the heck? I'll give it a shot. Where can I find this 'tub'?" He shrugged.

Jeanette pointed back upstairs. "Ask Simon. You can use either his or Dave's bathtub. And he'll help you set up."

"Gotcha," Roy turned on his heel and scurried back upstairs, calling out for Simon.

Jeanette turned back to setting the table, humming cheerfully. She was still excited about having her uncle around; he was settling in a lot easier than she'd thought he would. Since they had no school today, they had all the time they wanted. This brought on another question: what would they do? She doubted Uncle Roy would want to stay in the house all day. He was the type of guy who loved to go out and explore.

_Maybe we could go to the park... or maybe we could go out for ice cream? I think he'd like anything that had to do with food. Or... yeah! I remember now! I wanted to talk to him and Dave about bringing our parents here as well! _

"Pancake number one! Get the plate ready!" Eleanor cried, helping Theodore take hold of the pan's handle. Jeanette lifted up one of the plates, preparing to catch the airborne pancake. The two green-clad chipmunks launched it into the air, with Jeanette catching the pancake on the plate. This was the most efficient way to get breakfast done quickly and without too much effort. (It was fun, too!)

Jeanette jumped around, continuing to catch the flying pancakes and filling each plate with two pancakes each. Simon and Alvin soon joined her, helping her prepare the rest.

"Morning, Simon!" she said, smiling cheerfully at him. He returned her smile.

Simon, in the middle of pouring everyone some milk, greeted her as well. "Good morning, Jeanette. Good sleep?" he asked, recapping the bottle.

She nodded, fidgeting with her nightgown. "Yes, thank you."

"So, what's the agenda today? I take it that we're going out?" Simon asked, stretching, a small cracking sound coming somewhere from his back.

Jeanette tilted her head, examining his appearance and becoming a little concerned. "Yeah, that's what we're hoping for... are you alright, Simon? It doesn't look like you slept well."

He sighed, his eyes showing her how tired he really was. "Honestly? I didn't. Alvin told Theodore some stupid horror story, and I was up all night trying to calm him down," his dark blue eyes shot Alvin a look as if to say 'thanks a lot!'

Alvin shrugged. "I didn't think it'd scare him so much! I was only joking around."

"You _know_ how scared he is of predatory birds! You did that just to mess with him!" Simon retorted. Jeanette, out of the corner of her eye, saw Theodore blush a bright red. _Aw, poor Theo. It must be embarrassing for them to talk about that, right in front of Ellie._

She tapped Simon's shoulder, interrupting another possible argument between him and Alvin. She tilted her head towards Theodore, who was looking extremely uncomfortable.

Catching Jeanette's hint, Simon let the topic drop. "Anyway, everything's all set," he finished. "Your uncle's really enjoying that bath! I don't think he wants to come out!"

Jeanette giggled. "I thought he'd like that. He deserves some pampering!" She caught Simon looking over her, clad in only her nightgown, and felt even more nervous. _Perhaps coming down before properly dressing wasn't a good idea..._ "Um... I...I should probably get dressed. Excuse me!"

She quickly rushed past him, scurrying back up the stairs. Simon looked on after her, taken aback slightly by her bashfulness.

Alvin smirked, snickering as he settled down to eat. "Smooth, Simon. _Realllll_ smooth. Want me to give you some pointers?"

"Shut up, Alvin."

* * *

Jeanette opened the door to their bedroom, looking around for Brittany. She could hear her from inside their bathroom, singing in the shower. Jeanette chuckled as she made her way towards her closet, looking around for any suitable clothes to go out in. Her eyes scanned over the various skirts, shorts, and dresses. The shimmering silver dress she had worn at West Eastman's Battle of the Bands caught her eye, and she stroked it fondly. It was one of her favorites, but it was much too flashy to go out in. Her eyes then spotted a lavender sundress with thin shoulder straps. She took it down, moving in front of her mirror with it pressed against her front. _Oh, this one's nice for a sunny day!_

She heard the door open, followed by steam billowing out of the bathroom. She turned around to see Brittany in a peach towel, water dripping off her damp fur. She squinted at Jeanette through her wet hair, wiping the water from her eyes. They widened when she saw Jeanette standing there, and even more when she saw that she had left the bedroom door wide open. Brittany shrieked and rushed over, slamming the door.

"Jeanette! Don't just leave the door wide open like that! Someone might see," Brittany scolded, adjusting the towel over her chest.

Jeanette raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"_Because._ I don't want Alvin or any of the other boys seeing me indecent," Brittany said, looking at Jeanette like she was completely clueless.

Jeanette rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Britt, how are you indecent like this? The guys walk around with no pants!" Jeanette threw her hands in the air. "I mean, we're _chipmunks, _not humans. It's more natural for us to be without any clothes at all."

"If you say so, Jeanette," Brittany dismissed, drying her hair. "So, what are we supposed to do today, anyway?"

"Well, I was thinking we could go out to the park and play some games. Maybe even go swimming," Jeanette replied.

"Oh, sounds fun," Brittany sighed, fussing over her hair in the mirror.

Jeanette grabbed a towel, keen on freshening up. After taking a quick shower, brushing her teeth, and making sure her hair was decent, she slipped into the lavender dress. She looked herself over one last time, satisfied with the result. She wasn't at all vain, but she did believe in looking nice, not simply for others but mostly for herself. With a small spritz of perfume, she hopped down the stairs to join the others. Her uncle was hungrily devouring his second pancake, much to the amusement of the boys, who ate in a similar manner.

He wiped his mouth with the back of his paw as Jeanette hopped up next to him. "So, you kids know what you want to do today?" he asked. Jeanette looked at the others, who looked almost as indecisive as she was.

"Well, we can always head to the park," she suggested, a question in her voice.

Theodore jumped up and down excitedly. "Oh, oh! We should! They have lots of ice cream vendors around there!" he said, licking his lips simply at the thought of it.

Eleanor quickly agreed. "Yeah! Uncle Roy can try his first ice cream cone!" she quipped, giggling contagiously.

Jeanette bit into her last bit of pancake, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "The park it is!" Everyone nodded their heads. A few minutes later, the group put up their dishes and made their way outside, shutting the front door behind them. Simon made sure to lock the door behind them all, using a spare key that was cleverly hidden in a small space near the welcome mat. After putting it back, they all made their way down the sidewalk and towards the park.

"Also, Uncle Roy, I wanted to ask you... do you think it's possible to get mom and dad down here as well?" Jeanette asked softly.

Roy rubbed the back of his head, thinking. "I don't see why not. But I'm not sure how we're going to go about doing that, baby girl. They live a long way away from here. Remember, we both had to use some kind of transportation to get here."

Jeanette's ears lied flat in disappointment. "Oh..."

_That was unrealistic of me to think so anyway, _she reprimanded mentally. _And, they could have moved by the time we try and find them anyway..._

"But, we'll see. I wouldn't give up hope, if I were you," he assured her, rubbing her head fondly.

After a bit more walking, they reached the park, which was fairly crowded. Families, their dogs, and groups of friends were enjoying the beautiful weather. Some people were fishing, picnicking, racing kites... it was a sight to behold.

"Wow. I've never seen so many humans..." Roy said, bristling slightly.

Theodore took his hand. "It's all right. We'll be okay!"

"Theo's right. Besides, who would hurt us?" Alvin asked arrogantly, looking fearless.

Roy stared at him. "Oh, I don't know… those dogs?" He pointed to a pair of growling Dalmatians, who were staring right at them. They were without leashes, slowly creeping towards them.

Simon froze, glancing around for a way to escape the situation. "All right, don't set them off, anyone."

Jeanette shivered, slowly taking a step back from the dogs, who were slyly inching forward. "Th-they look like they're trying to figure out which one of us is easiest to catch..." she noticed fearfully.

Suddenly, one of the dogs lunged forward, right at Jeanette, with jaws agape. She screamed and quickly dived out of the way, barely missing the animal's sharp fangs. The others quickly scattered in various directions, and Jeanette, running alone, could hear the heavy bounds of the dog as it pursued her, panting heavily. She didn't look back as she darted towards a family eating on a bench. She hoped that, seeing the people there, the dog would cease the chase.

_Snap! No such luck._

She saw it bounding towards her, paying no heed to the people. Without thinking, she climbed up on the picnic table and scurried across it. The dog followed suit, running over the people's food. The family screamed as their picnic was ruined, the mess splattered all over their clothes and faces.

"Sorry! Sorry! So sorry!" Jeanette squeaked as she streaked by, closely followed by the snarling dog. Suddenly, she saw Ray standing at the end of the table, looking enraged. A pie had landed on her normally perfect raven hair, and her expensive jacked was ruined with gravy.

"You little rat! You ruined everything!" she screeched, prepared to grab her. Jeanette jumped out of her reach, scuttling up her front and over her head. She glanced behind her as Ray scrambled, the dog slamming into her. They tumbled to the ground, the dog's dirty paw-prints leaving marks all over her clothes and face. Ray screamed in rage and humiliation, pointing in Jeanette's direction. "THAT ANIMAL!"

Jeanette quickly retreated up a nearby tree, looking down as the dog barked at her from below. She panted, her body still pulsing with adrenaline. "Ah... that was too close... I haven't had to go through that in a _long_ time."

A sharp whistle caught the dog's attention, and his owner called him and the other dog over. The dog spared her one last glance before running back in defeat.

Sighing in relief, she slumped against the bark of the tree. _Good lord... why does this always have to happen to me, at the best times?_

Suddenly remembering her family and friends, she shouted, "Ah! The others!" She scanned the area, looking for her missing companions. She didn't see any of them around, which sent her into a panic. "Oh no, where did they go?"

"I'm here, if that's any comfort at all."

She jumped, looking above her. There she saw Simon, climbing down the side of the tree.

A wave of relief washed over her at the sight of him."Oh, thank God. Simon, are you okay?" She sat up and went to meet him.

He brushed off some dirt from his shirt, grunting. "I'm all right, just a bit ruffled. How about you?" he asked, looking over her for any injuries.

She fixed the strap on her shoulder, which had slid off, nodding. "Oh, I'm all right! I'm not so sure about Ray, though..." She pointed over at Ray, who was cussing up a storm as her mother helped her up from the ground.

Simon chuckled."Oh, my. I saw that... she _did_ put herself in the way, though, so I wouldn't worry about it much," he said, waving it off. "Ray's not known to think these things through."

"Yes, well... it _is_ partly my fault, Simon. I mean, I didn't have to lead the dog over there and ruin their picnic," Jeanette realized that she felt terrible about the mess she'd caused as she watched them clean it up. "Maybe I should apologize?"

"IF I EVER SEE THAT NERDY, UGLY LITTLE RAT AGAIN I'LL—" Ray continued to rant, stomping her feet in rage.

Simon grimaced, watching her shriek. _Oh god, she looks like a madwoman. _"Not advisable, Jeanette."

Jeanette winced, gulping. "Yeah, you're right."

"We should steer clear of them for now. Let's go gather the others," Simon said. He offered his hand to her, to which Jeanette shyly accepted. He helped her down the side of the tree, much to Jeanette's pleasure. "I saw Alvin, Theo, and Eleanor hide under some cars over there. I'm not sure where Brittany and your uncle went."

"Oh, dear..." She searched the area, squinting her eyes. "If I know Uncle Roy, he probably hid in the bushes over there," She gestured in that direction.

Simon saw Theodore slowly poke his head from beneath the minivan, trembling slightly. Eleanor was right behind him, holding his arm tightly.

"It's all right, guys, they're gone!" Simon called. Theodore took Eleanor's hand and ran towards them, closely followed by Alvin.

Jeanette noticed he was without his cap and wasted no time in pointing it out.

"I _know_ that, thank you," Alvin sneered, rubbing the top of his head. "That stupid dog swallowed it!"

Simon scowled at him, seeing that Jeanette was slightly hurt. "Perhaps it would have been better if he'd bitten off your head?" Simon retorted. "Be thankful, for once in your life. Come on, Jeanette. Let's see if we can find Roy and Brittany."

He led the party towards the ring of bushes, calling out for the lost two.

"Uncle Roy! Britt!" Jeanette called, walking along the side of the foliage. She heard a light cough come from beside her. She turned to see Brittany crawling out from under the bush, brushing the leaves and dirt from her skirt. "Oh, thank goodness. Are you alright, Britt?" she asked.

"Oof...yeah, I'm okay. Just got the life scared out of me, is all!" Brittany laughed, pulling a leaf out of her hair. "Glad to see you all are fine. Roy! You can come out now."

Roy came out of the same spot, shaking his fur of dirt. "Woo! What a rush, eh?" he joked, laughing.

Alvin mumbled. "Yeah, a real riot."

Brittany looked at him, embarrassed by his attitude.

"Lighten up, Alvin! You can always get another hat made!" Eleanor scolded, rolling her green eyes. "Let's not let that spoil our day! We can make up for it with some ice cream."

Roy rubbed his hands together. "Sounds good to me!"

"I'll get us some! What would you all like?" Jeanette asked, checking her little purse to make sure she had enough money.

"Chocolate!"

"Vanilla! With sprinkles."

"Strawberry!"

"Vanilla-Chocolate Swirl!"

She remembered this all off the top of her head. "Okay! Simon, Uncle Roy?"

"Mm... Mint," Simon mused. "I'll come with you to gather all of it."

Jeanette smiled, appreciating how thoughtful he could be.

"Er, I don't know much about these flavors," Roy shrugged.

"No problem!" Jeanette chirped. "I think I know just the flavor for you. We'll be right back!"

With that, Jeanette and Simon made their way to the ice cream vendor. No one was there, so they could place their orders quickly.

"Excuse me!" Jeanette said, waving her arm. The young man looked around before casting his eyes down on the pair. His eyes widened as he recognized the two.

"Oh! Simon and Jeanette Seville! What can I get for you two?" He beamed, bending down on one knee to get a better look at the couple.

Simon gave him a friendly smile, along with a wave. "Hey there. We'd like a scoop of vanilla (with sprinkles), chocolate, chocolate-vanilla swirl, strawberry, mint, and..." He looked to Jeanette.

She considered a moment before deciding. "I'll have mint too. And I think Uncle Roy would like Rocky Road," She reached inside her purse, flipping through the rather large bills that Dave gave them as allowance.

Simon placed a hand on top of hers, making her blush slightly. "Don't worry about it, Jeanette. I got it," Simon reached inside his pockets, taking out a single fifty dollar bill. "Keep the change," he told the vendor.

The boy nodded, working to make each cone. He gave Simon each of them. "Thank you, sir!"

Simon grunted a bit, having a hard time balancing all of the cones. "No, thank _you_."

Jeanette gasped, seeing one of them totter dangerously over his head. Before it could fall, she caught it. "Oh, Simon, you don't have to do all that! I can carry some too."

He sighed in relief, grinning. "Thanks. That would have been just my day if it had gotten in my fur. Mm…" Judging how many cones he could carry, Simon asked, "Well, if it's not too much trouble, could you carry two more?"

"Of course!" Jeanette took two out of his arms.

Simon felt the weight lighten, and began to walk with much more ease. "Much appreciated!"

The two walked back over to the members of their family, who were relaxing and chatting on the edge of the lake. Simon handed Theodore, Eleanor, Alvin, and Brittany their ice cream cones. Jeanette, however, suddenly tripped over a small rock, stumbling. She managed to stay her grip over two of the cones, but the third one dropped to the ground, the treat splattering all over the grass.

She blushed red in embarrassment as the others watched the cone fall to the ground. _God, I'm so clumsy! Now someone's going to miss out..._

She sighed, handing her uncle his ice cream. "Here you go. Try it—it's really good!" Roy looked over the treat quizzically, sniffing at it. She held out the last ice cream to Simon. "Here you go, Simon. You can have the last one."

Simon glanced at the fallen treat. "But... what about you?"

"I was so darn clumsy," she said, bitterly biting her lip. She inwardly chastised herself for her own clumsiness. "I'll just go without one. Next time I should be more careful and look where I'm going."

To her confusion, Simon shook his head, nudging the cone back at her. "No, you keep it. I was never really a fan of ice cream to begin with." This was a lie, yes, but he hated to see her so upset. He sat down next to her, kicking his feet in the water. Jeanette continued to look at him.

"But, Simon..." she argued.

"Really, it's fine. I want you to have it. It was an accident, so don't beat yourself up over it. It could have just as easily happened to me!" Simon said, pointing to himself.

A small smile played on Jeanette's lips as she settled down next to him, licking her ice cream. "I doubt that. You're much more careful. I'm the one who's always messing up."

"I think it's cute," Simon said, smiling.

She stopped eating upon hearing his words, glancing over in surprise. "Cute?"

"Yeah. You might find that trait to be really annoying, but I think it's _cute,_" Simon repeated, grinning at her.

Jeanette felt her cheeks redden at the compliment. She had never been called cute before, even if she was clumsy! "Thanks, Simon. That's really sweet," she gushed, feeling extremely happy.

Simon chuckled. "No problem, Jeanette. I only speak the truth. And, about your family... I'm sure we'll find a way to get them down here. It worked for all of us, after all," he reasoned.

Jeanette smiled, nodding her head. "Yes, I'm sure we will."

* * *

_Author's Note: God, my head hurts._

_Not much went on here but a lot of fluff. But I love fluff!_

_I promise something more interesting will go on in the next chapter. Thanks for reading!_


	8. A New Friend

**Take Me Away**

**A New Friend**

**Chapter 8**

_Author's Note: Thank you all for your patience! It takes a LOT of that to follow my stories. /fail_

_I hope you enjoy this chapter! This one's a bit longer than the others. Well, a lot longer. But I can't help myself sometimes!_

* * *

Roy stuffed his head under his pillow, willing the awful noise to disappear. _I will never understand humans and these god-forsaken alarm clocks..._

Having had enough, he threw the pillow to the floor and stomped upstairs. At first, he thought the unrelenting blare of the clock was coming from the boys' room, but upon closer inspection, he realized he was wrong. _It's coming from the girls' room? They're usually good at waking up with that thing._

He opened the door to the girls' room. Sure enough, the clock on the far right side of the room rung unrelentingly. He covered his ears, feeling a headache coming on as his ears pounded.

"Eleanor! Turn that off!" he bellowed.

But it had no effect, as the round little girl continued to sleep as if nothing was happening. In fact, so were Brittany and Jeanette! Though he couldn't quite see Jeanette's face because her whole body was curled up under the sheets.

"How in the _world_ do these girls sleep through that?" he grumbled, climbing up the nightstand and standing in front of the annoying contraption. "They must get that from our side of the family."

He looked over the shaking clock, wondering how on Earth he was supposed to turn it off. He couldn't read well, especially this early in the morning, and that just caused his frustration to rise. After pushing a few buttons with no result, he thought, _Ah, screw it!_

With a firm kick, he sent the alarm clock plummeting to the floor. The clock crashed to the ground, something cracking inside it. All he cared about was the noise going away. To his relief and satisfaction, it did.

"Girls! Girls, wake up!" he said loudly, clapping his hands. As he'd predicted, none of them moved.

He easily hopped over to Eleanor's bed, gently shaking his youngest niece. "Eleanor, wake up. You'll be late for school."

"Not my last pancake, Mommy..." she mumbled, her eyes closed tightly. "I'll go on that diet _next_ week..."

"Eleanor, you're dreaming," Roy snickered, pulling her to stand up. "Come on, kiddo, get dressed."

Eleanor rubbed her eyes, smiling at him. "Oh! Okay, I'm going, I'm going..."

He patted her back, moving to wake up his oldest niece. He knew she could be the crankiest in the morning from many past experiences, but waking her was unfortunately necessary. "Brittany, time for school."

"Aw..." Brittany whined, shielding her eyes instinctively. "I'm _sick._"

Roy rolled his eyes, snatching the covers off her. He chuckled as he watched her curl up into a ball, the cool air hitting her body. "Come on, Sunshine."

Brittany sighed deeply, rubbing her head. "Alright, alright..."

He finally went to wake up Jeanette, who was hidden under her deep purple sheets. He lifted up the sheet, peeking under it. "Boo!"

"Ah! Uncle Roy!" Jeanette shrieked. "I'm, uh... sick?"

Uncle Roy gave her a look, totally unconvinced. "Try again, sweetheart. That's Brittany's excuse."

"Hey!" she cried from the bathroom.

Jeanette avoided her uncle's eyes. "I... I don't think I want to go to school today."

"What? Why not?" Uncle Roy asked.

"Um, well, it's this girl, Ray," Jeanette whispered. "I'm pretty sure she hates me now."

_Who am I kidding? I __**know**_ _she hates me now! Well, even more than she did before. And I can't really blame her! I humiliated her in front of all those people at the park! _Jeanette inwardly scolded herself. _And now she's going to spend every waking moment trying to ruin me._

"Ray?" Roy wondered. "Ray..." He tapped his chin, trying his best to recall who this girl was. "Er..."

"She's that human I ran into when we were at the park," Jeanette supplied, biting her lip in embarrassment from the very memory.

"Oh, _that_ girl!" Roy laughed, but he quickly stopped at the horrified expression Jeanette gave him. "Ahem, well, just, er... apologize to her. I'm sure she'll understand that it was all just an accident."

Jeanette groaned from where she lay in bed. "You don't understand! She'll—"

"Come on, guys, you're going to be late at this rate!" Dave called from downstairs.

Jeanette sighed, miserable. _This day is going to be the worst!_

Roy gently pulled her out from under the covers, hugging her. "It'll be all right. I promise. Just do the right thing on your part."

"Okay, Uncle Roy," Jeanette nodded, praying that everything would go well.

The whole ride to school, Jeanette fidgeted and squirmed, much to her sisters' annoyance. But she couldn't help it! She felt she definitely owed Ray an apology; after all, if she had run in another direction, she never would have ruined Ray's family picnic. Yet, she also knew when Ray was mad at someone, she _stayed_ mad, and apologies didn't usually help.

Brittany, unable to tolerate anymore of Jeanette's wriggling, glared at her. "Jeanette, please! What is your problem today? Cramps?"

"N-no," Jeanette shook her head, stuttering. "I'm fine."

Eleanor, although equally annoyed at this point, placed a hand on her shoulder. "Relax, Jeanette. Whatever it is, we've got your back."

"She's right," Brittany confirmed, patting her lap reassuringly. "If _anyone_ bothers you,"—she hiked a brow, causing Jeanette to sense that Brittany knew exactly who this was about—"you can be sure that we'll be right at your side."

A small smile touched Jeanette's lips. If there was one thing she could count on, no matter what, it was the support of her sisters. "Thanks guys."

Due to their encouragement, Jeanette felt a bit more confident. A small feeling (okay, a _big_ feeling) told her that Ray would still be angry. But as long as she did her part to try and settle things, she supposed it would be all right.

She briefly considered meeting up with Ray at lunch, but she denied that notion after a little more thought. _Knowing her, she'll make a huge spectacle in front of everyone! That's the __**last**_ _thing I want._

Fortunately, Jeanette saw the chance to talk to her in Gym and took it. They were both there early, so there wasn't a huge crowd around to listen to their conversation. Taking in a deep breath, she slowly walked towards Ray.

"Um, Ray?" Jeanette said meekly, keeping a safe distance away from the girl just in case she flipped out and tried to attack her.

Ray swiveled around at the sound of her name, her jade eyes falling upon Jeanette's small figure. Jeanette shivered as Ray's green eyes seemed to redden with anger, her lips curling into an enraged scowl.

"_You!_" she spat, stomping towards her. Jeanette gasped in alarm, quickly backtracking. "What the hell do you want?"

"I-I-I j-just wanted t-to apologize!" Jeanette said quickly, holding up her hands in submission.

To her relief, Ray stopped advancing. Feeling she wouldn't have much time before she continued her rant, Jeanette continued. "I'm _really_ sorry I caused that mess at the park. I really am! I didn't do it on purpose. I just wasn't thinking at the t—"

"Damn right you _wasn't_ thinking!" Ray bellowed. "You stupid little rat! If it weren't for you, everything would have gone perfectly! But now—"

"Hey, hey! What's going on here?"

The two girls turned to see Charlene, a new chipmunk student who was apparently an old friend of Alvin's, walking towards them. She was calm, despite her small size. She stood between the two of them, looking Ray straight in the eyes. Ray seemed to back down a bit, but the girl was still trembling with misplaced anger.

"This is none of your business," she growled. "Move it or lose it."

"No," Charlene said evenly, shaking her head. "Back off. If all she wanted to do was apologize, then that should be enough. Don't start drama," she smirked, gesturing for her to go away. "Move along."

Jeanette shivered in fear. She worried that Ray would kick Charlene across the room or pummel her. But, much to her bewilderment, Ray simply shook her head and walked back towards the locker room, only snapping back, "Whatever!"

Charlene smiled smugly, flipping her long ponytail. Jeanette sighed in relief, placing a hand over her heart. It was still racing from the intense moment!

"T-thank you," Jeanette said, gulping.

Charlene turned to her, winking. "Not a problem. Gals like her are all talk. Can't back it up."

Jeanette rubbed her arm. "Either way, I can't tell you how glad I am that you were there."

Charlene's expression softened. "It's all right. You're Jeanette, aren't you?"

Jeanette nodded. "That's right! We met just the other day."

Charlene, as far as Jeanette could gather, was an old friend of the Chipmunks, most notably Alvin. But, to her slight displeasure, she seemed to be very friendly with Simon. Jeanette wasn't the jealous type, or at least she liked to think so. She didn't mind Simon being friends with another girl, but something about the way Charlene behaved around him caused Jeanette to be slightly suspicious. Yet, here Charlene was, eagerly defending her when she knew so little about her! _I guess I got her all wrong! She's pretty nice. Anyone who can stand up to Ray __**must**_ _be good._

"Oh, that's right!" Charlene agreed. "I guess we didn't get the time to really get to know each other."

The sharp whistle from their coach snapped them out of their conversation. The two girls quickly gathered, along with the rest of the class, near the bleachers. Their instructor, a rather pretty and petite woman by the name of Ms. Elaine, held a jump rope in her left hand, and her usual clipboard in the other.

The boys groaned.

"Aw, come on, seriously?" One of the boys face-palmed. "Jump ropes are for girls!"

The girls, including Jeanette, glared at him. The poor boy flinched, wisely shutting up.

"Your ignorant comment aside," Ms. Elaine smirked, holding out the rope, "this is actually a popular exercise for _both_ genders. It strengthens the legs, the arms, encourages timing... And, it's just a lot of fun."

Jeanette raised her hand. Ms. Elaine, used to looking out for the tiny chipmunk, nodded her head.

"Um, are there ropes small enough for Charlene and me?" she asked.

Ms. Elaine smiled, nodding. "Don't worry. I've got you covered."

She blew the whistle again, signaling for everyone to grab a rope and start jumping. Jeanette and Charlene immediately darted towards Ms. Elaine, looking up at her expectantly. Ms. Elaine fished around in her pockets, leaning down and handing them both home-made, miniature jump ropes.

"There you go! Jeanette, I figured you'd like purple. And Charlene, I made you a red one," Ms. Elaine said, standing back up.

An elated Jeanette beamed up at her, hugging her rope. "Thank you!"

"Very nice," Charlene marveled, holding up the rope and admiring how the color matched her own outfit. "Many thanks!"

Jeanette made certain she had enough room to exercise (she didn't require too much space). She had never jumped rope before, so she had to watch a couple other students do it before she attempted to try for herself. She moved her arms, sweeping the rope under her. She jumped, but not soon enough, and her foot got caught in the rope. She tumbled forward, crying out.

"Ouch! Oh..." Jeanette sighed, rubbing her elbow. Her cheeks reddened as her ears caught the snickers of a few other students.

Charlene glared at the chuckling boys, forcing them to look away awkwardly. Then, she walked over to Jeanette, helping her up. "Don't pay any attention to them, hon," Charlene soothed, brushing some dirt off of Jeanette's front. "You all right?"

Grateful for her care, Jeanette smiled. "Oh, yeah! I'm fine. I guess jump rope isn't my best sport, huh?"

The shorter, blonde chipmunk waved it off. "Oh, don't say that! It takes a little practice," Charlene held out her rope, getting into position. "Here, let me show you. It's all in the wrists, and it takes a lot of timing. Try to get a beat going," After making sure she had Jeanette's undivided attention, she jumped over the rope, keeping a steady pace. She kept it up for a minute or two before stopping, posing victoriously. "Ta-da!"

Jeanette clapped her hands, completely impressed. "That was great! And that was just your first try!"

Charlene shrugged. "There's nothing to it! Try it out."

Jeanette nodded, getting into a suitable position. She began a beat in her head, starting off strong. Just as Charlene had suggested, keeping a rhythm as she jumped helped tremendously. She kept it up, much longer than she previously had, only stopping when she needed a breather.

Charlene cheered, jumping up and down. "See, you got it!" she said. "You're a natural."

Jeanette rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Aw, you really think so?" she asked, flattered.

"Definitely," Charlene confirmed, giving her a high-five.

Feeling a surge of confidence, Jeanette grinned. "Let's see how long we last against each other!"

Charlene laughed. "You're on!"

On the count of three, the two competed against each other to see who could outlast the other. After five minutes of jumping non-stop, they had attracted a large crowd, some cheering for Charlene, others cheering for Jeanette. Even Ms. Elaine was watching with a small degree of interest; usually she would have yelled for everyone to get back to work.

Jeanette panted softly, willing herself to keep going. From what she could tell, Charlene didn't seem to waver from when she first started! _Aw man, maybe I was feeling too confident._

Just when Jeanette felt she couldn't go on (her legs were killing her!), Charlene stopped, panting heavily. Jeanette's supporters cheered, clapping for her.

"Woo! Okay, okay, you win!" Charlene laughed, holding up a hand in defeat. "You're too much for me!"

Jeanette stopped, holding up her rope in victory. "Yes!"

Ms. Elaine smiled to herself before whistling for everyone to go back to their own spots. "All right, move it along! Nothing to see here, ya bunch of slackers!" she called.

Her students groaned, the group obviously having harbored hopes that their teacher would be too preoccupied with the small competition to notice them. As the crowd dispersed, Jeanette patted Charlene's shoulder.

"If it helps at all, you were really hard to beat!" Jeanette said honestly. "I'll have to keep on my toes around you."

Charlene smiled up at her, but shortly after had to dodge something that shot out of Jeanette's hair. The two girls stared at the purple band on the floor before breaking out in laughter.

"What in the world was _that?_" Charlene asked, wiping a small tear from her eye, picking it up, and handing it out to Jeanette.

Jeanette giggled, running her paw over her hair. "That would be my scrunchie," she sighed. "I don't know why I even bother with this thing! I'm no good at styling hair."

Charlene folded her arms, looking her over. "Why not just let it down?"

"Down?" Jeanette echoed, never having considered the idea before.

"Yeah, it'd be unique!" Charlene insisted, stretching out one of Jeanette's brunette locks and marveling at its length. "Oh yeah, it would look so pretty left down. Think about it: your sisters both have some sort of a ponytail hairstyle. Brittany has a stylized ponytail, and Eleanor has twin tails. And yours..."

"A really ugly side ponytail?" Jeanette offered, looking down.

Charlene rolled her eyes. "I wasn't going to say that. I thought it was cute. Heck, even _I _have a ponytail! I'm not that original either!" she laughed, swinging her long, golden ponytail around for emphasis.

Jeanette considered the idea, and she found that what Charlene suggested made a lot of sense! She had always had trouble maintaining her hair in any kind of style, but simply letting her hair free was the easiest and, most likely, most attractive alternative.

"You really think so?" Jeanette asked, genuinely tempted by the idea.

"Totally, girl," Charlene said. "Try it out tonight. I'm sure you'll turn some heads."

_I wonder if I'll turn Simon's head? _Jeanette thought before going into a full blush and shaking her head. Charlene looked on in confusion but decided not to question it.

"All right, I'll try it!"

"Sounds great!" Charlene grinned.

The bell soon sounded for all students to head on to lunch.

Charlene waited for Jeanette outside the gym, holding both Jeanette's backpack and her own. Jeanette was genuinely touched by the action, and she took the bag a second later, relieving Charlene and walking beside her. It felt nice to have someone to talk to, besides her sisters, of course.

A true friend.

"Hey, you want to sit together?" Charlene asked.

Jeanette was quick to accept the invitation. "Sure! I'd love that."

The two of them made their way into the line, deciding to share the same tray; they'd both agreed that they could never finish all of the portions given to them anyway. After each of them had picked out some fruits and milk, a friend of Charlene's carried them over to an empty table. Charlene thanked him, turning her attention back to her newest friend.

"I hope I didn't take you away from your sisters or anything," Charlene said, frowning a little.

Jeanette sipped her chocolate milk, swallowing before answering her. "No, it's fine. They're usually sitting with their own friends anyway."

"They just leave you _all alone?_" Charlene said disapprovingly, shaking her head.

Jeanette didn't want Charlene to get the wrong idea about her sisters. She was certain that they didn't do it on purpose. More often than not, Jeanette declined their offers to sit with them and their friends.

"No, no, it's not like that at all," Jeanette said quickly, eager to defend her siblings. "I just don't think I fit in with their groups of friends all that well."

Charlene still looked unconvinced but decided to drop the issue. "I see."

"You seem to already be making friends," Jeanette pointed out, recalling the boy who had so eagerly transported them to their table. "I'm surprised to see you're not sitting with them!"

"Oh, sure," Charlene acknowledged, looking at her paws in disinterest. "There are some decent people here, but it's awkward trying to relate to humans. I don't have anything against them, don't get me wrong. But, we're from opposite sides of the coin."

Jeanette nodded, silent. She could relate to what Charlene was saying. How often was it that Jeanette thought the exact same thing?

"I see what you mean," Jeanette said. "It can be difficult fitting in sometimes. But…" she glanced over at Simon. "It can always be worse. We're lucky to have each other to relate to."

Charlene's eyes followed Jeanette's line of vision. She hiked a brow, a knowing smile on her face. "So it would seem."

"Ah! I mean, with my sisters!" Jeanette stammered. "It's a good thing I have them! And you too, now!"

Charlene chuckled, folding her arms. "Okay, spill it. Are you going out with Simon?"

"No! Why would you ask that?" Jeanette immediately denied, her tail twitching excitedly.

Charlene poked out her lip. "You're not?"

"No!" Jeanette repeated.

"Aw, that's a shame. You two would make a cute couple," Charlene mused, nibbling on a cracker.

_Eee, she thinks me and Simon are cute together! _Jeanette thought, elated.

"I'd snatch him up quickly, if I were you, though," Charlene muttered, narrowing her eyes menacingly.

Taken aback, Jeanette stared at her blankly. "What do you mean?"

"I'm just saying," Charlene began, patting Jeanette's knee, "some girls are scandalous. It wouldn't surprise me if someone were secretly after him. He's not a bad catch."

Jeanette narrowed her own violet eyes, suspicious. "Are... are _you _interested in him?"

Charlene laughed, but quickly recovered after seeing Jeanette's serious expression. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. No, no, I'm not interested in him. He's an old friend I knew through Alvin."

Jeanette sighed in relief. "Oh, phew..."

_If she's not interested, then who is she hinting at? I know Simon's friendly, but he wouldn't date a __**human.**_

"I still don't understand," Jeanette said. "Who else would be after him?"

Charlene didn't answer. She just cut her eyes in Brittany's and Eleanor's direction. Jeanette gasped, covering her mouth. She couldn't believe Charlene even _considered_ the idea of either of her sisters secretly wanting her crush! The very idea of one of them hurting her like that cut Jeanette deeply.

"No! No, that'd _never_ happen!" Jeanette said furiously, shaking her head adamantly. "They're not even his type! Or he _their_ type! And—and... they'd _never_ do that! We're like _this,_" Jeanette clasped her hands together tightly, alluding to how close their relationship was.

Charlene frowned, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that they would, but… when the pickings are slim, you never know _what_ some girls will do. Even if they _are_ your sisters."

Jeanette looked to her sisters, watching them laugh and talk with their friends. _That's impossible. I don't care what Charlene says, I know Brittany and Eleanor don't think that way._

"Look, Jeanette, I didn't mean to start trouble," Charlene apologized, taking her hand. "I was just spewing off at the mouth."

"No, no, it's all right," Jeanette said slowly, giving Charlene a weak smile. "You were only trying to help."

"I'm glad," Charlene sighed. "I wouldn't want to come between you and your girls."

Jeanette laughed. "Nah, nothing could ever do that."

Even as she said this, though, she couldn't help but wonder if her words were completely true.

* * *

Uncle Roy greeted the six chipmunks when they arrived back home, hugging each of his nieces tightly and smiling at each of the boys. Jeanette hated leaving him alone because she loved being around him! And, as she knew, he hated to be left alone with absolutely nothing to do. Jeanette would be sure to think of something fun for them to do tonight.

Roy flopped down on the couch. "When you kids get back down here, help me find something decent on this thing, will ya?" He narrowed his eyes in disgust. "All I've found today was this damn _Tyra Banks Show._ I feel like clawing out my eyes and ears every time I see that woman."

Theodore gasped. "I thought she was a pretty nice lady!"

Alvin rolled his eyes, sneering at him. "_Of course_ you would."

Jeanette cringed a bit, watching Eleanor growl at Alvin's tone. "A-anyway!" she said, quickly changing the subject. "We'll meet you in a few! I'm sure we can find something better than what's on."

She hastily grabbed Eleanor's arm, dragging her away before she could say anything to Alvin. Eleanor's cheeks were red from anger, and she proceeded to go into a long rant about how much Alvin needed to leave Theodore alone.

Trying to tune her out, Jeanette glanced over at Brittany. The two seemed to have wildly different opinions on the matter, but to her relief, Brittany seemed to have chosen to simply ignore Eleanor's tirade.

Later, back in her room, Jeanette paused as she was changing into her usual purple nightgown. Remembering the conversation she'd had with her new friend earlier that day, she self-consciously touched her hair. She felt along the curve of her ponytail, pulling off the band that held it up. The large portion of her hair that was previously tied up fell down, flowing and resting around her shoulders a little beyond her back.

_Wow, Charlene was right! It looks great down! _Jeanette marveled, picking up her brush and running it through her rich, brown hair. After she fixed it up a bit, she rotated in front of her vanity mirror, admiring herself.

Brittany, who was watching her from her own mirror, wore a big grin on her face. "Woo, go Jeanette!" she cheered.

Jeanette giggled happily, blushing. "Oh, hush!"

Brittany ran over to her, touching Jeanette's hair. "I'm so jealous! Your hair's so pretty," she sighed longingly. "Oh! Let's try something!"

Brittany ran back over to her dresser, ruffling through the bottom drawer. Curious, Jeanette took a few steps closer.

Brittany dashed back over, saying, "Sit down and close your eyes."

Jeanette did as she was told, sitting down on the floor so Brittany wouldn't have to stretch to make up for the difference in height between them. She closed her eyes, putting her paws over her eyes. This satisfied Brittany, and she proceeded to work on her hair. Fortunately, Jeanette didn't have to wait long.

"There! Now, open your eyes and tell me what you think!" Brittany exclaimed, stepping back.

Jeanette opened her eyes, standing up. Peering in the mirror, she gasped in delight at her reflection: Brittany had braided a small section of her hair, curling it softly near the end. Brittany had added a small, beautiful violet flower to the side of her bangs as well. It was a lovely touch.

Jeanette turned around, beaming at her sister. "Oh, thank you, Britt! It looks great!"

Brittany smiled back at her warmly, proud of herself for a job well done. "You're welcome."

Jeanette hugged her sister, who returned it eagerly. "Come on, you guys!" she called. "We don't want to keep the guys waiting!"

Eleanor giggled, hopping off her bed and landing gracefully on her feet. "Let's go!"

The Chipettes hopped downstairs, discovering that Roy and the boys were already waiting on the couch. Simon had the remote in his lap and was flipping quickly through the channels, trying to find something half-decent to watch.

The three girls gathered around their uncle, resting on small pillows. "Anything decent on?" Brittany asked Simon, lying on her stomach.

Simon shook his head, clicking his tongue. "Not that I can see, no."

Alvin snatched the remote from his brother, much to his annoyance. "Give me that! You just don't know where to look."

Simon crossed his arms, narrowing his blue eyes at Alvin. "Fine. _You_ find something, then," he challenged.

Roy sighed. "What do you guys _usually_ watch?"

"Let's watch a romance," Brittany suggested. All of the boys quickly denied this option, so Brittany stuck her tongue out at them. "You guys are no fun, I swear!"

Jeanette giggled, suggesting, "A comedy!"

Eleanor shook her head. "A drama!"

"How about an adventure movie?" Theodore timidly suggested.

Alvin grinned devilishly. "Naw, how about _horror_?"

Theodore's lip trembled. "B-but, I don't like—"

"Horror it is!" Alvin cut in, turning to a cheesy-looking horror flick.

Roy shook his head in disapproval, which closely resembled Eleanor's own reaction.

Simon popped Alvin upside the head, snatching the remote back. "Alvin, quit being an idiot," he said, trying to look out for his younger brother.

"Ow!" Alvin yelped, rubbing the back of his head where he'd been slapped.

Jeanette giggled to herself, earning her a sharp glare from Alvin. She quickly looked away. _Sheesh, what's his problem lately?_

Roy noticed the interaction, and, trying to figure out exactly what was going on, he stared at Alvin for a few seconds, then back to Simon. "Hmm..."

"I think we should let Uncle Roy decide," Eleanor piped up, smiling up at the oldest chipmunk.

Roy grinned down at her, rubbing the top of her head fondly. "How about that new movie I saw earlier, the one with the blue people? With the tails?"

Alvin groaned, covering his head. "Aw, man, not _Avatar._"

Jeanette squealed. "I love that movie!"

"Good choice," Simon grinned, giving him a thumbs-up as the rest of the group (save Alvin) quickly agreed.

"Oh! I'll get it!" Theodore scurried over to the television set, carefully pulling out the CD and inserting it into the DVD player.

Brittany sighed dreamily. "This movie's so romantic."

Roy's eyes widened in horror. "Aw, man, seriously?" He wondered if he should regret his movie choice.

Jeanette nudged him. "It's not _all _romance, is it, Simon?"

"Yeah, it really isn't," Simon chuckled. "It's got plenty of action for us guys."

Roy sighed in relief, grinning at Simon. "Oh, good. Phew!"

The seven chipmunks sat back and watched the movie, enjoying it immensely (except Alvin, who kept pulling tortured faces behind Brittany's head – and getting a light smack each time from his pink-clad girlfriend). Roy loved the action scenes, much like the other boys, and would frequently yell out "kick ass!" and "stab it in the eyes!" However, all the guys became a bit uncomfortable when the romantic moments started to surface.

Roy covered his eyes. "Aw, damn, are they going to show freaky blue alien sex?" he asked uneasily.

Simon, unable to help himself, burst out laughing. "No, they aren't!"

All three girls were staring at the screen, loving every minute of it if their dreamy expressions meant anything. The girls all sighed in a collective, "Awwww!"

As Theodore blushed slightly, covering his eyes, Alvin made gagging noises. "Oh, gag me," he said, only half joking.

Brittany rolled her eyes, nudging him. "Are you saying you don't like making out? Because I find that _very hard_ to believe," she teased, unable to resist.

Alvin raised his hands in defense. "Woah, woah, I didn't say that."

Jeanette sighed happily, oblivious to the others' conversation. "I love this part—it's just so cute. Don't you think, Simon?"

Simon's eyes widened at the sound of his name. He coughed, embarrassed. "I, um… I…"

"Jake kind of reminds me of you," Jeanette said, smiling at him.

"Except Simon would never get a – OW!" Alvin rubbed his arm. Brittany shook her fist at him, threatening to punch him again. "Okay, okay…"

Simon wisely ignored the snide comment, turning back to Jeanette. "I never figured I'd be compared to Jake."

"You both can be really stubborn," she giggled, swaying her tail sheepishly.

Simon gasped, surprised. "You think I'm stubborn?"

"Not in a bad way," Jeanette quickly corrected, shaking her head. "I meant that you don't care what anyone thinks about you, and you're not willing to change to please anyone."

"Ah, I see," Simon murmured in response, slowly nodding his head. "So that's a good thing, right?"

Jeanette grinned, giving him a small hug. "Of course, silly!"

Simon blushed slightly, glancing back at Roy. He didn't want the guy to think he was trying anything funny with his niece. Fortunately, Roy was, yet again, engrossed in one of the movie's intense fighting scenes. Simon carefully rested an arm around his interest, giving her a small hug in return.

"Well, I'm glad," he said softly, his tone sincere.

"_OW!"_

Simon and Jeanette jumped in alarm, the latter clinging to him instinctively. Roy's eyes snapped over to Simon, and seeing their position, he then glared at him. Simon gulped, quickly (but gently) moving a small distance away from Jeanette.

Apparently, Alvin had hit Brittany with a small pillow playfully. _Unfortunately_, he'd hit her a little too hard, and she had tumbled off the couch and landed right on her backside. She glared up at Alvin, who wore a sheepish grin, furiously.

Eleanor immediately went to Brittany's side, helping her up. "Oh no, Britt! Are you okay?"

As soon as she regained her footing, Brittany yelled, "ALVIN, YOU ARE _SO_ DEAD!" grabbing a pillow and lunging at her counterpart. Alvin screamed as he was tackled into the back of the couch.

"Oh god, somebody _help me!_" he pleaded, covering his head as Brittany pummeled him with a cushion of her own. Brittany laughed, watching him try to block her blows. "Britt's gone mad!" he added with a playful laugh.

Eleanor laughed at the two, grabbing a third pillow and looking over at Theodore with a mischievous smile. Theodore gulped, snatching up a pillow and barely shielding himself as Eleanor hopped over to him.

Simon hiked a brow, scooting away from the pillow-fighting couples. Then, realizing the possibility of what was to come, he looked down at Jeanette suspiciously. "You're not going to start attacking me, are you?" Simon asked, smiling nonetheless.

Jeanette gasped, pretending she was hurt. "Me?" she asked. "Well... yes!" She pulled a pillow from behind her and bopped him over the head. Simon's glasses fell off, causing him to laugh.

"Argh, cheap shot! Cheap shot!" he yelled, dodging a second hit.

Jeanette laughed, pursuing him around their couch and the other fighting pairs. "Come back here!" she shouted between giggles.

Roy, just now noticing the chaos around him, jumped out of the line of fire, trying to sneak out of the _war zone_. "Darn you crazy kids!" he laughed, pretending to be angry. "I'm missing the best part!"

Simon grabbed the last pillow, deflecting Jeanette's blows as he retreated back upstairs.

His attacker followed him, teasing him as she went. "Come on, Simon! I know you're tougher than this!" Jeanette taunted, bopping around his middle.

Simon clutched his stomach dramatically, pretending to be wounded. "Oh god, the _pain_, the terrible _**pain!" **_he wailed.

Jeanette gasped as he tripped and rolled over onto his back, groaning in what seemed to be unbearable pain as his eyes fluttered shut. She hurried over, kneeling beside him in concern.

"Simon, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hit you that hard," Jeanette cried, looking him over for any signs of injury.

Simon grinned, opening an eye just a tad. Before Jeanette could react, he grabbed his pillow and smacked her over the head with it, sending her toppling backwards to the ground as well. She laughed as he pinned her down, sticking his tongue out at her.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Jeanette argued, wriggling beneath the pillow he had pressed against her.

Simon smirked. "Hey, it wasn't fair back there either!" he pointed out, gesturing with his head since his hands were occupied.

Jeanette squirmed, hitting him over the head again. "I'll get you for that!" she threatened.

"Ha, don't think I'll go easy on you!" Simon called, releasing her and jumping back like a ninja. Jeanette held her pillow over her head and threw it at him. Simon dodged, catching it in his free hand. Jeanette squeaked at his reflexes, retreating into her room with Simon hot on her heels.

"Ha! Where you going?" Simon laughed, watching as she scurried up the sheets.

"You can't catch my pillow and use it against me!" Jeanette protested, hiding under her large, normal-sized pillow. "It's not fair and you know it!"

"All's fair in a pillow-fight!" Simon rebuked, laughing as she took cover under her massive pillow. "Come out and face me!"

Jeanette snickered, shaking her head even though he couldn't see it. "No way!"

Simon grinned, tossing her own pillow at her. "Fine, fine! You're lucky," he told her. "I wouldn't go this easy on anyone else…"

Jeanette, coming out from under the pillow, smiled, picking up the miniature cushion. "Are you saying I'm special, then?" she asked coyly.

Simon faltered. "Well—"

Before he could finish his thought, Jeanette pounced on him, bopping him numerous times. He laughed, returning the blows (and although he'd never admit it, he _did _go a lot easier on her – against his brothers, he was a _true_ terror).

After a while, once the two were sufficiently tired, he let her win, waving his pillow around in surrender. "All right, all right, I give up!" Simon announced, tossing his weapon away.

Jeanette smiled in triumph, comically resting a foot on his back. "I'm the queen of pillow-fighting!" she cried.

Simon snickered, grabbing her foot and pulling it, which brought her falling down beside him. "Sure, sure, don't rub it in!" he teased.

Jeanette smiled happily, hugging him tightly. "I still have a feeling that you were going easy on me," she admitted.

"What? _Me?_ Nah…" Simon lied. As they parted and stood up, he ran his hand through some of her hair. "You know, I didn't say anything earlier, but… I really like what you did with your hair," he confessed. "You look great."

Jeanette felt her heart race and her stomach fill with imaginary butterflies. _Oh my god, he noticed! He noticed! Charlene was right!_ "Thank you!" she squeaked, enjoying the attention. "Brittany helped me with the braid and the flower."

"It really brings out your eyes," Simon said softly, gazing into them as he spoke. Jeanette felt a blush spread across her cheeks, but she couldn't turn away. Or, was it that she didn't _want _to? "It really suits you," he told her.

Jeanette gulped, watching him lean in, his eyelids half-lidded. _He's going to kiss me!_

However, much to her disappointment (but also delight), Simon planted a soft kiss on her forehead. Confused, though still elated, she looked up at him.

"I think it's time I turn in for the night," Simon said with a small smile, tucking his pillow (which had doubled as his weapon ) under his arm. "Got a major exam tomorrow. I'll see you later."

Jeanette, stunned, gaped as he walked over to the door.

Before he left, however, he turned back to her, remembering something he'd been going to tell her earlier. "Also, I tried to get your attention at lunch earlier today. I was waving for you to join me, but I saw that you were sitting with Charlene instead."

Jeanette mentally kicked herself. _Seriously? And I missed that __**how**__?_ "I'm sorry, Simon!" she cried, hugging her pillow so tightly she was strangling it. "I wasn't ignoring you, I swear!"

"Relax, Jeanette. It's fine," he chuckled. "I'm glad to see you're making friends." Simon waved one last time before heading back to his own room.

Jeanette sighed softly, a strange mixture of emotions hitting her all at once. She wasn't sad. In fact, she felt this was one of the best nights of her life! But she felt bad that Simon had tried to get her attention and she hadn't even noticed him. He had told her once that he usually sat alone, and that he had enjoyed her company, so she had no intention of compromising her time with him. _Next time, I'll ask Charlene if we can have him at our table! I'm sure she'll say yes!_

Brittany and Eleanor suddenly entered the room, panting and giggling to themselves. Brittany came to rest on her own bed in the middle of the room, wiping some sweat off her forehead. She looked extremely happy, despite her appearance, as was Eleanor. Jeanette smiled to herself, knowing that something great must have happened between the other couples.

"Woo! That was a lot of fun, huh?" Brittany asked casually, flopping onto her back.

Jeanette tilted her head, smiling. "So you're not mad at Alvin anymore?" she guessed.

"Oh, I'm still mad," Brittany claimed, though Jeanette was convinced that she had secretly forgiven him. "_But_, I got my revenge, so it's all good!"

Eleanor, giggling on her own bed, hugged her pillow with a blissful expression. "You guys should have seen it!" she told them excitedly. "Theodore's so cute! I had to go easy on him, but he was trying _so_ hard to look tough! Oh, he's great, isn't he?"

Jeanette and Brittany laughed, figuring it made sense that the youngest boy would be unskilled at pillow-fighting.

Roy poked his head inside the door after a moment, looking at them all with suspicious eyes.

After a few seconds under his stare, Brittany laughed, folding her arms. "What, you want some of this?" she asked warningly, shaking her pillow at the door.

Roy cringed, pulling a face. "No way! You girls are wild!" he shouted.

Jeanette grinned, patting the space beside her. "Aw, come on," she tried. "We're too tired to beat you down anyway."

Roy rolled his eyes, coming to sit beside her, regardless of the consequences. "Gee, how sweet," he muttered.

"Why didn't you join in, Uncle Roy?" Eleanor asked from across the room. "It was loads of fun!"

Roy gave her a sly smile. "You see, about that…" He looked at each of them in turn. "I _would_ have, but it seemed like you were all busy with your boyfriends."

The three girls each blushed a deep crimson, embarrassed that their uncle had possibly seen them in flirtatious situations with their respective Chipmunks.

Jeanette coughed awkwardly, turning on the TV. "Um, well, we'd better be getting some sleep!" she said quickly, eager to change the subject.

Brittany, having a similar idea, caught on right away. "Yeah, she's right! Don't want to be cranky again!" she agreed.

Eleanor yawned dramatically before curling up under the covers and turning in the opposite direction. "Nighty-night, everyone!"

Roy laughed, moving to give each of them a hug. "All right, all right, I know when I'm not wanted!" he acknowledged. "I'll let Dave know that you all turned in early for the evening. 'Night, girls."

They all waved goodnight as Roy scampered back downstairs, likely going to re-watch Avatar, which they could tell he'd enjoyed quite a bit.

Brittany smiled knowingly at Jeanette. "_So, _I'm guessing Simon liked the new style?" she hinted.

Jeanette twitched her tail excitedly, nodding. "He did! He did!" She leaned in closer, so no one else could hear. "He even _kissed me!"_

Brittany squealed, lighting up. "You two made out?" she asked.

"No, no!" Jeanette corrected quickly. "He only kissed me on the forehead," she explained, pointing to her head.

Brittany pouted. "Aw, what a tease."

Jeanette lay down on her side, a happy smile on her face. "I'm happy with it, and that's all that matters! Thanks to you and Charlene—"

"Charlene!" Brittany shouted, shooting upright. Her normally gentle eyes narrowed into a furious glare. "You were talking to _Charlene_?"

Jeanette hiked a brow, taken off-guard by Brittany's sudden mood change. "Yes? What's wrong with that?"

"I don't trust that girl at _all_," Brittany said, shaking her head disapprovingly as she thought of their previous interactions. "She's got ulterior motives. I just know it."

Jeanette frowned. _That's not fair! Brittany barely talked to the girl, and here she is judging her!_

"Britt, you're being totally unfair," Jeanette said. "You don't even know her. I talked to her, and she was totally nice to me. She even invited me to sit with her at lunch!"

"And _I'm_ telling you that it's all just a trick to gain your trust," Brittany persisted. "It's all part of some _game_."

Jeanette couldn't help but be offended by her sister's comment. _Who does she think she is? Does she think I can't judge for myself who's trustworthy and who isn't? That I can't find these things out for myself?_

"I know what I'm doing, Brittany," Jeanette snapped, turning her back to her sister and turning off the lamp. "She's not _Ian_."

Jeanette could sense the furious stare Brittany was giving her, but at the moment, she couldn't care less.

"_Fine_. _Be that way,_" Brittany fumed, forcefully clicking off her own light as well, plunging the room into darkness. "But when things go downhill, just remember: I told you so."

* * *

_Woo, I loved this chapter. :D_

_Thank you all for reading!_

_So, Jeanette's got a new friend! Brittany's looking out for her sisters, but it looks like Jeanette doesn't believe her. Hopefully she turns out to be wrong, hm?_

_Once again, thanks to Contemperina for beta-reading! :D_


	9. Next To You

**Take Me Away**

**Next To You**

**Chapter 9**

**XOXOXOXOXO**

_Author's Note: Okay, I know I haven't uploaded anything for this story in a ridiculously long time, please forgive me! I definitely have not forgotten about it, but it took me a long time to figure out where I wanted this story to go. I hope you guys can understand._

_School has been one of my number one priorities. I'm nearly done with the required courses, and then I'll be certified as a Pharmacy Technician, which I'm so excited about! And by then you'll see a lot more updates, as well as finished artwork related to this story._

_Anyway, this story has gone through some major changes as far as what I have. The older chapters were edited a bit to flow better, but nothing significant was changed._

_Anyway, onto the chapter!_

_XOXOXOXOXO_

Jeanette covered her ears, the familiar and annoying noise of the alarm clock rudely interrupting her dreams. With her eyes clenched shut, she reached out an arm to turn it off. Unfortunately, her hand only swatted at air and she accidentally fell off of her bed and onto the floor below with a scream.

"O-Ouch," Jeanette said, rubbing her bruised leg. "Eleanor, can you turn off my alarm clock?"

Eleanor rubbed her eyes, glancing down at Jeanette. She then yawned and turned off the irritating device before stretching out her legs with a soft yawn.

"You okay, Jeanette?" Brittany mumbled, used to her sister's clutzy mannerisms.

"Yes, I'm okay," Jeanette sighed, standing up and rubbing her sore rear. "Time for school."

The three sisters dragged themselves into their bathroom, yawning and stretching all the while. They quickly brushed their teeth, washed their faces, and slipped into their usual attire before sitting in front of their individual dressers and smoothing out their fur and fixing their hair.

A light knock on their bedroom door drew their attention. Eleanor set down her aquamarine brush, turning to fully face the door.

"Come in!" she called.

Uncle Roy opened the door, scratching his back tiredly as he entered the girls' room. He yawned loudly, shaking his head. "Good morning, girls."

"Good morning, Uncle Roy," they responded, coming over to greet him. Brittany raised a brow as he looked at them sadly.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing, it's just..." he sighed, giving each of his nieces a small smile. "I think it's about time I returned home in the forest."

"What? Why?" Jeanette gasped, her heart dropping in sadness. She twitched her nose, hurt. "So soon, Uncle Roy? But you've only been staying here for a few days!"

"I know, I know," he said gently, patting her head fondly. "I know it seems short, but try to understand. While staying here with all you guys was pretty great, I just feel homesick. You know what I mean?"

The girls looked at each other, clearly not understanding and slightly hurt that he was leaving. Roy sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

_Damn, I never was good at breaking news to people,_ he thought.

"While this was probably the best place I've ever been in, I'm just a wild one at heart. I feel I have to provide for myself, just like Dave," he said, nodding his head. Dave was a very hard worker, that he could plainly see. He related to the man a lot. "I can see he already had his hands full taking care you three, along with his sons. I don't want to add extra stress, you know what I mean?"

The Chipettes nodded their understanding. After all, Roy was right: Dave, although he welcomed Roy, already worked so hard for all of their sakes. It was wrong of them to impose on him any further than they already had.

"Good," Roy said. A devilish grin began to spread across his face. "Besides, I know my girlfriends are worried sick about me!"

His nieces laughed, shaking their head at his raunchy behavior.

"Uncle Roy, that's bad!" Eleanor reprimanded half-heartedly, giggling. Her ears then drooped slightly as she looked up at the older chipmunk. "We're going to miss you..."

"Aw, buck up, Ellie!" Roy said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "I'll only be across the street, really. You guys can always visit me whenever you want!"

"Yeah, you're right," Brittany smiled. "We're still going to miss you!"

Jeanette looked at the auburn-colored girl, shocked. While she knew, deep down, that Brittany still loved her uncle, she seemed to have gotten out of her mood swings involving him seemingly overnight! What had happened to make her change her mind? Had Brittany and Uncle Roy talked things over? And, if so, what was it about?

Jeanette shook her head. _I shouldn't be thinking about that! The important thing is Britt and Uncle Roy's relationship is back to normal._

"Give me a hug before you three head on to school," Roy said, holding his arms out. His nieces giggled and joined in a big group hug. He smiled, kissing each of them on the forehead before releasing them. "Alright, girls! I don't want you to be late."

The Chipettes nodded and hurried down the staircase and towards the front door. They had woken up late, so they couldn't sit down to have a proper breakfast. However, Dave had them covered by handing them all a breakfast bar to eat on the way there. The Chipmunks were waiting for their counterparts in front of the door, Theodore already nibbling on his granola bar.

"Thank you, Dave!" Jeanette said, slipping the snack into her purple backpack.

"No problem," Dave smiled, opening the door for his tiny charges. "Now, the bus should be here any minute. Have a good day, guys!"

"See you all when you get home!" Roy called, waving at his nieces and the Chipmunks.

"Goodbye!" the six of them replied, hurrying towards the sidewalk.

Eleanor sighed heavily, looking down at her feet as they waited for the bus to arrive. Theodore glanced over at her, nose twitching in worry.

"Ellie? Are you feeling okay?" he asked shyly.

"Huh? Oh! I'm sorry, Teddy," she said, smiling. Eleanor sighed again, shaking her head. "I guess I'm just a bit sad because Uncle Roy will be going back home soon."

"He is?" Alvin said, eyes widening. He looked a bit disappointed. "Aw, that sucks. He was really fun and laid back."

"I agree," Simon said, looking thoughtful. "He was a really nice guy, no doubt about that."

"I'm going to miss him," Theodore said, nodding. He then smiled at the Chipettes. "But we can always go and visit him! And he's always welcome at our house, whenever he wants to come over. Right, guys?"

"Totally," Alvin smiled.

"Of course," Simon chipped in.

"You're right," Eleanor beamed, cheering up significantly. "Thanks, Teddy!"

Jeanette and Brittany smiled at the boys, who nodded in agreement with the little butterball. It was great to know that the boys welcomed their relative with open arms.

The bus pulled up in front of the group a few minutes later. The door creaked open and the six chipmunks hopped up the steps one by one. Jeanette nearly tumbled backwards when she misjudged a jump, but thankfully, Simon was there to place a paw on her back and nudge her back up to safety. She blushed softly, coughing.

"T-Thank you," she said softly.

"You're welcome, Jeanette," Simon smiled, following close behind her as the door closed behind them and the driver waited patiently for them to take their seats.

Since there was plenty of room for all six of them to share a seat, Simon and Jeanette decided to sit next to their siblings. Jeanette sat between Alvin and Simon, and the bus began to drive towards West Eastman High.

Being so close to Simon, Jeanette's thoughts drifted off to the night before. The previous night was... absolutely _magical. _Her cream-colored cheeks were tinted pink at the wonderful memory. What did it mean? Were the events last night a hint that she should try and deepen their relationship? Jeanette couldn't help but feel that, maybe, Simon felt the same way she did. That it was possible that he returned her feelings. But how could she be absolutely sure?

_I don't want to rush anything. I don't want to mess up what we already have, _she thought. _I value him too much to rush into things..._

"Hey, guys?"

Jeanette jumped slightly, turning to look down at Alvin. He was trying to get all of their attention.

"Yeah?" Eleanor replied, unwrapping her granola bar.

"I just wanted to give you all a heads-up that Charlene will be coming over this afternoon," Alvin announced. "You guys remember her, right?" he added to the girls.

"Oh! I remember her," Eleanor said, giggling. "She seems like a nice girl!"

Jeanette smiled brightly, happy that her friend was coming for a visit. "That's great!"

"It's been a while, we should all catch up!" Theodore said, bouncing excitedly.

"I think that's a great idea," Simon smiled.

Brittany didn't respond. She simply glared at Alvin before turning away and looking out of the window.

The bus soon arrived at the front of the school, screeching to a halt. They didn't have time to hang out in front of the lockers like they usually did, so they all said their goodbyes before running off to their respective classes.

Jeanette hummed softly as she entered the combination for her locker. When it opened, she began to pack her backpack with the necessary supplies and assignments she would need for the next three periods. After checking that she had all of her homework, she zipped the bag up and closed the locker. She jumped slightly when she saw the familiar blonde chipmunk leaning against the locker beside her.

"Charlene! Hello," Jeanette smiled, slipping her arm through one of the straps. "Good morning!"

"Good morning," Charlene replied. "How's everything going, Jean? Anymore problems with Ray?"

Jeanette thought back. Oddly enough, Ray hadn't even acknowledged her after the day she tried to apologize and Charlene had come to her rescue. She found this really strange, since Ray was never known to back down. Ray didn't try to attack, yell, or even acknowledge her presence after the incident. She didn't even try to sic one of her flunkies at her to do her dirty work! But, Jeanette reasoned, it was better not to question a blessing and decided to thank her lucky stars that nothing more serious came about.

"Nope, no problems at all," Jeanette said slowly, shaking her head. She smiled at the blonde chipmunk. "Thank you. I have a feeling it was all thanks to you that everything cooled down."

"I'm really glad to hear that," Charlene smiled, standing up straight. "And, hey, what are friends for? Want me to walk you to your first period class?"

"Sure, I'd love that," Jeanette said happily, walking beside Charlene as she made her way towards her Literature class.

_She's really nice, _Jeanette thought. _I don't understand why Brittany doesn't trust her._

Brittany had said in no uncertain terms that she didn't trust Jeanette's new friend in the slightest. Her sister had even went so far as to claim that Charlene had ulterior motives, or a hidden agenda. Jeanette could see where Brittany's suspicions originated, to an extent. After all, Charlene was under the guardianship of their former manager, Ian Hawke. The Chipmunks and Chipettes knew all too well how treacherous and manipulative he could be, having experienced his abuse first-hand. But that was no reason to lump Charlene in with his mess, was it? Jeanette didn't think so.

"Oh, Charlene?" Jeanette said, suddenly remembering something important.

"Hm?" she said, blue eyes looking up at her.

"Is Ian treating you well?" Jeanette asked carefully, not wanting to offend her.

Charlene smiled, nodding. "Yes, he is! Why do you ask?"

"Oh! N-No reason," Jeanette said, waving her hand. "I was just curious."

_That's really strange,_ Jeanette thought, furrowing a brow. _He was never that nice to us, even when we first met him. Maybe he's changed?_

Stopping in front of her classroom door, Jeanette turned to face Charlene. "Well, here we are. Thank you! I'll see you later -"

Charlene quickly grabbed her paw, stopping her before she could set foot inside her class. Jeanette looked at her questioningly.

"Hey, before you go, I wanted to ask. Do you want to hang out after school or something? You know, maybe practice for concerts and stuff?" Charlene offered, tail twitching. "Wouldn't that be fun?"

Jeanette hesitated, biting her lower lip. In all honesty, Jeanette preferred to spend her afternoons finishing her homework, curling up with a good book, or hanging out with her sisters and the Chipmunks. _But what harm would it do to hang out with her? Brittany and Eleanor always tell me I should make some friends, and Charlene's really cool._

"Okay, that sounds great," Jeanette smiled.

Charlene waved at her before running off to reach her class before the bell rang. Jeanette stepped into her classroom, humming cheerfully as she went.

XOXOXOXOXO

It was the middle of the day, so Jeanette quickly scurried towards the cafeteria, eager to fill her stomach. She was starving, having totally forgotten about her granola bar in her backpack. She entered the relatively short lunch line, eager to fill her tray with grapes and chips, accompanied by some chocolate milk.

As she waited, she looked around the bustling lunch room, keeping her eyes peeled for her blue-clad companion. Although he had assured her that he wasn't upset at her sitting with Charlene, Jeanette couldn't deny that she preferred his company to hers any day.

She finally spotted him at a table set near one of the windows. He was, once again, alone as he nibbled at his lunch. Jeanette just couldn't understand why he was always alone yet again. _Well, he won't be alone anymore!_

Jeanette soon retrieved her cup full of red grapes, a bag of SunChips, and a small carton of chocolate milk before slowly and carefully wobbling over to his table. She panted slightly, wishing she had someone to carry her food to the table for her. She squeaked in alarm as someone nearly stepped on her, jumping back to avoid being crushed.

"Excuse me," she said nervously, narrowly avoiding another foot.

Simon, who noticed her struggling, quickly jumped down from his table and came to her side, relieving her of her milk and grapes. He smiled down at her. "Better?"

"Much better," Jeanette said, giggling. "Thank you, Simon!"

He nodded and the bespectacled couple quickly made their way back to his table. He carefully set her grapes and carton down as she settled beside him. "I'm really glad you came, Jeanette."

"I'm really glad too," Jeanette said shyly, twitching her nose happily. "How was your day?"

"It was really good, actually," he said, setting aside the pen he was previously using. "I had a big math exam this morning, but I think I did pretty well on it. How was your day, Jeanette?"

"Oh, it's going really well!" Jeanette smiled, opening her bag of chips and nibbling on one. She looked over at his lunch, which consisted of a carton of regular milk and an empty packet of crackers. "Would you like some of mine?" she offered kindly.

Simon blushed, shaking his head. "No, I couldn't. You go ahead."

"Please do! I could never finish this all by myself," Jeanette insisted, resting the bag of snacks between them. "You have to keep your strength up, Simon! You wouldn't want to worry me, would you? You know I would," Jeanette added with a giggle.

Simon laughed, reaching into the bag to retrieve a chip. "You're very kind, thank you. Oh! Did you want to sit with Charlene instead?" he said, glancing over at the blond girl a few tables away.

Jeanette smiled and shook her head. She then blushed, her ears twitching. "It's okay. I'd rather spend time with you, Simon."

For the first time, she saw Simon blush. Her heart skipped a beat as he laughed shyly.

"Really? That's great! I'd rather have your company as well."

XOXOXOXOXO

_Author's Note: Okay, the next chapter will be up really soon! Expect some updates for 'Old Flame' as well, since I'm working on that at the same time._

_Looks like things are really looking up for Jeanette! _

_Reviews are love!_


	10. Where Does Your Loyalty Lie?

**Take Me Away**

**Where Does Your Loyalty Lie?**

**Chapter 10**

**XOXOXOXOXO**

_Author's Note: Told you the chapters would come a little quicker than last time! I've got a good chunk of this story already planned out, so writing it's not much of a problem for now._

_So, what do you think? Is Charlene really untrustworthy, or is she really just misunderstood?_

_Anyway, onto chapter nine!_

_XOXOXOXOXO_

"So, how are things going with your midterms, in general?" Jeanette asked, punching her straw through the soft cardboard of her milk carton and taking a small sip. Midterms were the main thing on every student's mind at this time of year, especially since it could make up a significant part of their grades. Jeanette was confident that Simon would pass with flying colors.

"It's been going okay so far," Simon answered, wiping his paws clean on a spare napkin. "I honestly wish it was all over and done with. It's such a pain!"

Jeanette giggled, nodding. "I know what you mean. Eleanor and Brittany keep asking me to help them study, and I always regret agreeing to it because I always miss out on getting enough time to study for my own exams," she sighed, shaking her head. "I'm really worried about taking my Chemistry exam. I never was that good at Science."

Although both Simon and Jeanette were considered the intellectuals out of their families, they specialized in different academic fields. While most people thought Simon would make his career out of one of the many different scientific fields, he found himself losing interest in them. He still had a great passion for science, but he found himself to be more of a history buff and enjoyed researching the various time periods. As for herself, Jeanette loved writing stories, so she naturally excelled in Literature.

"You should tell them 'no', Jeanette," Simon said firmly, raising a brow. "They should know that you've got to your own exams to worry about."

"I know," Jeanette sighed, ears drooping slightly. "But they really do need help. And I don't want them to fail because of me -"

"Jeanette, please," Simon said, giving her a piercing look with his icy blue eyes. Jeanette gasped and stopped talking, taken aback slightly. "You can't be such a soft touch. I know you want to help Brittany and Eleanor, I do. It's really sweet and thoughtful of you to try and help them pass their courses. But what about _you?_ You can't focus all your attention on their problems. Before you know it, you'll end up failing because you simply didn't have enough time for your own studies. That's not fair."

Jeanette gulped and looked down shamefully._ He's right. I do want to help my sisters, but I definitely don't want to fail. I've worked so hard all year, so how would it look if I suddenly failed while making almost straight A's all semester?_

"Y-You're right, Simon," Jeanette said softly, sighing. "You're absolutely right. I just don't want them to fail."

"It's alright, Jeanette," Simon said, his tone and eyes softening. "I understand that you only want to help, but if they really care about you, they'll understand that they can't take you away from your own work. I just don't want you to overwork yourself."

Jeanette beamed up at him, grateful that he was only looking out for her well being. "Thank you, Simon. I understand. I'll let them know that I have to take the time out to study for my own exams from now on," she promised.

"That's my girl," Simon said warmly, making little, imaginary butterflies flutter around in Jeanette's tummy. He glanced back at Charlene, who was laughing with a couple of the popular students. "So, I noticed you and Charlene are getting along well," he commented, a question in his voice.

Jeanette nodded, finishing her drink. "That's right! She's really nice."

"I'm glad to hear that!" Simon said, a genuine smile gracing his features. "Charlene and I were never that close, I only knew her through Alvin and Theodore. I've got to say, you're making friends a lot faster than I did when I first came here!"

Although she was sure he didn't mean it that way, Jeanette couldn't help but feel guilty. Surely, Simon knew that he didn't have any friends besides his brothers and the Chipettes. Really, she was probably his only real friend outside his brothers. _And I had almost stopped sitting with him at lunch when Charlene came along. But I won't do that to him again._

"So, um, have you tried joining any clubs?" Jeanette asked, keen on changing the subject.

"I haven't given it much thought," Simon admitted, stroking his chin thoughtfully. Like Jeanette, he preferred to entertain himself. "I've considered joining the science or chess club, but I don't think I'd actually have enough time to participate. How about you?"

"I don't think I belong anywhere," Jeanette sighed. She had given it a bit of thought, but she just didn't think it'd work out.

Simon smiled, taking her hand. She immediately blushed at the contact, looking up into his kind eyes. She gulped and tried not to break the gaze.

"You do belong somewhere, Jeanette," Simon said softly. "Remember that."

Jeanette felt her cream-colored cheeks burn from the compliment. Her heart pounded as she stuttered, trying to give him a coherent response. It seemed that he could make her heart flutter without even meaning to.

"T-Thank you, Simon," she smiled, nervously curling a bit of her chocolate-colored hair around her index finger. "That's really sweet."

Simon coughed awkwardly, rubbing his arm. "So, um, maybe we should make our own club," he said half-jokingly, chuckling. "You know, find some time to hang out after school. O-Or something like that."

_Oh my gosh, did he ask me out on a date of some kind? _Jeanette wondered. She shook her head. _Of course it isn't! It's just hanging out after school, I need to stop overreacting._

"I'd really like that! It can be just the two of us," Jeanette said, genuinely excited with the idea of spending even more time with Simon.

He smiled, nodding. "Then let's do that. It'll be a lot of fun."

XOXOXOXOXO

She was on cloud nine. She had never been so happy in all of her life! Or, at least, Jeanette couldn't recall many days as great as this one. She had finished two exams that she was certain she had gotten excellent grades on, and she had spent a lot of time with Simon. Why, even the weather outside seemed to be bright and sunny just for her. She couldn't think of anything that could possibly ruin such a glorious day as this one.

Jeanette entered the combination for her locker, keen on grabbing all of her books and assignments needed to complete her homework. The final bell had rung for all students to return home, but she didn't have to rush to get to the buses. Sometimes, the six of them would decide to walk home if the weather was especially nice, like today. But, today, she and Simon had plans to meet in the front of the school and talk.

After carefully slipping her geometry homework into its proper folder and placing it back inside her backpack, she slung it over her shoulder and gently closed her locker door. She whistled happily as she walked down the hall, bent on meeting her companion. _Don't want to keep him waiting!_

"Oh, Alvin, you're just as funny as I remembered!"

"Of course! Told you I haven't changed much since last time we talked."

Jeanette stopped in her tracks, ears swiveling around at the sound of the familiar, squeaky voices coming a few feet away. _That's not Britt's voice... who is he talking to?_

Jeanette quietly made her way to the corner of the lockers, slowly peering around. To her surprise, she saw Charlene walking with Alvin, her arms latched possessively around his own. While she had known the two of them were friends, she had serious doubts about scene before her: Charlene was batting her eyes, flirting, and laughing girlishly. Anyone could clearly see that she was totally all over him!

Jeanette bit her lip and snapped back, leaning against the lockers. She panted slightly, her thoughts drifting to her older sister, Brittany. While Jeanette wasn't too sure if Brittany and Alvin were dating, she was positive that Brittany held deep feelings for him. It was obvious to see. There had been many sleepovers and late nights where the Chipettes would giggle and laugh as they told each other how much they loved their respective Chipmunks. _It would totally destroy her if she saw what I just saw. _Jeanette shook her head, scowling. _I have to tell Brittany to watch out for Charlene. Maybe Alvin didn't mean anything by it, but I know Charlene's after him. I have to warn Brittany, even if Charlene is my friend!_

Before she could make a dash down the opposite hallway, a voice behind her nearly caused her to scream in surprise. "Oh. Hey, Jean!"

Jeanette whirled around and smiled down at the thin, blonde chipmunk before her. Charlene flipped her flawless hair, smiling up at her.

"How are you? Did you have a good day? We didn't get to sit together at lunch," Charlene said, pouting slightly.

"I-I-I've been fine, thank you," Jeanette said, gulping nervously. It didn't seem like Charlene noticed her eavesdropping mere seconds earlier, to which Jeanette was thankful for. "How have you been today?"

"I've been just fine," Charlene said with a dreamy sigh. Jeanette brow furrowed, but she quickly masked her suspicions. "_More_ than fine, really. So, you wanna hang out now?"

Jeanette glanced away, clearing her throat. She had completely forgotten about Charlene mentioning that they should hang out in the afternoons. But now Simon had also suggested the very same thing. She hated to turn down either of them, but she just didn't know Charlene as well as she knew Simon...

"I'm sorry, Charlene. Maybe some other time?" Jeanette said timidly, shifting uncomfortably. "I have other plans."

Charlene tilted her head, sweetly asking, "What would that be?"

"W-Well, I planned to meet Simon today," Jeanette answered. Her cheeks reddened as she realized what she said sounded awfully close to a date. "N-Not that it's a date or anything! W-We're just hanging out, I-I mean..." she gulped, rubbing her arm. "I'm really sorry about this. Can try again at a later time?"

Something sparked in Charlene's eyes, as if she had come to the realization of something important. Jeanette found this slightly odd, but she simply waved it off.

"Oh, that's great!" Charlene grinned, giving Jeanette a small hug. "I'm really glad to hear that. You go, girl!"

Jeanette giggled, embarrassed. "T-Thanks. I really should go now. See you later!"

"Of course! Good luck!" Charlene yelled, waving at the retreating brunette.

_Well, she is nice, _Jeanette thought. Her heart told her that she should tell her older sister, warn her about Charlene. _But maybe that's just Charlene's way. Besides, she is my friend, I can't just turn against her..._

Five minutes later, Jeanette finally arrived at the front of the building. To her relief, Simon was already waiting for her, sitting patiently on top of the stone structure that had their school's name engraved into it with rich, red lettering. She hurried over to him, panting softly.

"I-I'm sorry it took so long," Jeanette breathed, wiping her brow of sweat.

"It's alright," Simon smiled, patting the spot next to him. "The others already headed on home."

Jeanette smiled as she sat down beside him, gently setting her backpack aside. The two of them sat in companionable silence as they watched the peaceful sight of the setting sun. The sky was painted a dazzling array of colors ranging from warm reds to eye-catching oranges. The beautiful view of a few fireflies beginning to slowly come out into the open to bring in the darkness of the night made the two of them smile. A few crickets played their soft symphony in time with the light bobbing of their firefly friends.

"This reminds me of our old home," Jeanette said, a wave of nostalgia washing over her. "We used to have tons of fireflies around our home, and Eleanor, Brittany and I would go out and try to catch some," she said with a giggle.

Simon smiled down at her. "Really? We used to do that back in our old tree too."

"That reminds me, Eleanor and I were working on a project based on our old home, for Ms. Ortega's art class," Jeanette said, sighing. "We have to do an oral presentation in front of the class as we show it," she said. The very thought of going in front of a whole class, all eyes on her, paralyzed her with fear. Jeanette just wasn't comfortable with having all the attention focused on her. Sure, it was easier when she shared that spotlight with her sisters; then, she could feel a lot better. But she was naturally too shy to do even simple tasks in front of a crowd, no matter how hard she tried. "I really don't want to go through with it."

"It's really no big deal, Jeanette," Simon said soothingly, resting a paw on her shoulder. "After all, you've sung in front of thousands of fans and admirers! I'm sure you can handle a small presentation in front of your fellow classmates," he joked.

Jeanette giggled and nudged him, making Simon laugh. "Simon!"

"You know I'm right," Simon grinned, wiggling his eyebrows.

Jeanette broke out in hearty laughter, snorting slightly. She never laughed much, so most people didn't know she had a slight snort to her laugh. She gasped and covered her laugh.

"S-Sorry," Jeanette said, mortified.

"It's okay," Simon smiled. "I like hearing you laugh."

Jeanette giggled, swinging her legs over the edge of the structure. "Thanks, Simon. I think I'll be able to do that presentation now."

"I'm sure you will," Simon said confidently. "Besides, Eleanor will be with you, right?"

"Right," Jeanette nodded. She glanced over at him, suddenly very curious about his old home in the forest. Jeanette recalled the Chipmunks briefly telling her and her sisters that they lived in a large forest a long way away from Dave's current home. They had said that their tree was cut down by a lumberjack near the holidays, and were transported straight to Jett Records, their home now being used as a Christmas tree. "Simon? What was your old home like?"

Simon's previously calm expression suddenly furrowed into a furious and bitter one. Jeanette's violet eyes widened in surprise. She had seen him slightly annoyed and even irritable, but never had she seen Simon's expression look so dark and angered. Jeanette gulped, immediately wishing she could take back her question.

"I..." he said slowly, gulping. He then shook his head before taking off his thick, black glasses to clean them on his shirt. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

Guilt gripped at Jeanette's heart as she looked down at her hands. Why had she brought that up? Why did she have to be so nosy and ask about his past? It obviously brought up bad memories for him. Although she couldn't deny that a small part of her was curious, Jeanette vowed to never bring it up again. Or, at least, not until he was comfortable enough to talk about it himself.

"I'm sorry," Jeanette said, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. Simon winced slightly. "I didn't mean to pry, Simon. I understand if you don't want to talk about it."

Simon smiled and gently pulled Jeanette into a small hug. Jeanette took in his light, but unique scent, savoring the embrace. She gave him a squeeze before parting. His eyes were softer and full of gratitude.

"Thanks," he said. "I'm not upset or anything. There are just some memories that I'd rather forget," he said sadly. He then gave her a small smile. "Besides, you guys are my new family now."

Jeanette smiled brightly. "Yeah, we're a family."

XOXOXOXOXO

_Author's Note: Oh no, Jeanette's not going to tell Brittany about Charlene? I hope she knows what she's doing._

_And I wonder what happened in Simon, and the Chipmunk's, past? Maybe we'll find out soon._

_Thanks so much for the reviews guys! Also, if you want to find out how Charlene met up with Ian and how she knows the Chipmunks, read a little of 'Old Flame'. Or I'll just explain: she knew Alvin from the old forest the boys stayed in, and met up with Ian by hitching a ride on top of a car and agreeing to work with him, wanting his help to find Alvin again. That's the gist of how she got into this and 'Old Flame.'_

_Chapter 11 will be out soon._


	11. Memories

**Take Me Away**

**Memories**

**Chapter 11**

**XOXOXOXOXO**

_Author's Note: So happy I'm moving through this story fairly quickly. It's far from over, though, there's still a lot more to come. But I can say it's slowly edging towards the middle of the story._

_Enjoy! And thanks for all of the reviews, again._

_To Jacqueline: I don't mind if you use a couple quotes from my previous chapters for your story. :) _

_XOXOXOXOXO_

The day had come for Roy to return to his home. Jeanette really didn't want him to leave. While she loved spending time with her sisters, Dave, and the Chipmunks, it was great to have a relative outside of that circle to talk to. He was a parental figure, a friend, and a confidant to them.

The Chipettes and Chipmunks gathered around Roy at the front door, looking crestfallen. The girls tried their best look upbeat, but they simply couldn't pull it off. They were going to miss their uncle, even if he was nearby.

"Aw, guys, you're making this hard," Roy chuckled, gently patting Theodore's head. The boys also looked saddened by his leaving, although significantly less than his nieces. Although Roy had only been around the boys for a short time, he had grown fond of all three of them. Alvin could be arrogant, but he definitely was a good guy with a great sense of humor. Simon was polite and levelheaded, and Theodore was sweet and thoughtful. They reminded him so much of his own nieces. "I'll just be in the forest nearby. It's not like I'll be gone forever!"

"We know," Eleanor sighed, sniffling. "I just wish you could stay here for a little while longer..."

"I have things to do, sweetheart," Roy smiled, tipping her chin up to look at him. "You all understand that, right?"

"Yeah, we do," Brittany said, giving him a small smile. "Just don't get yourself into too much trouble," she added teasingly.

"I'll try not to!" Roy laughed.

Dave walked into the foyer, holding a medium-sized bag of potato chips. He bent down on one knee, offering the snacks to Roy. Roy eagerly reached out and gently took the bag from the man's fingers, smiling widely.

"Those are for you," Dave said, standing up to his full height again. "Consider it a 'going away' present. You can have some whenever you like," he smiled.

Roy was touched by the gesture, tucking the gift under his arm. He nodded up at Dave, smiling. Although they couldn't understand each other by speech, their actions conveyed all they needed to know.

Roy held out his arms for hug, smiling as his nieces and the Chipmunks joined in a big group hug. He gave them all a long squeeze before heading out the door. He waved back at them as he walked along the driveway, promising to come back sometime soon.

Remembering something, Jeanette dashed out of the door and straight towards her uncle.

"Jeanette, get back here!" Dave called.

"I'll be right back, I just need to ask him something," Jeanette said before screeching to a halt beside her uncle. He looked down at her, curious.

"What's wrong, baby girl?" he asked, raising a brow.

"We... we didn't get to talk about finding our parents," Jeanette panted, hands on her knees. "I don't mean to bug you about it, but – "

Roy laughed, stroking the top of her head. "Simmer down, Jean. Dave and I already talked it over. We're not sure how to start searching, but we're working on it. I promise."

"Thank you, Uncle Roy," Jeanette smiled. She gave him one last hug before dashing back to a waiting Dave. She hugged his leg, smiling up at him. "Thank you, Dave, for helping us look for our parents."

"You're welcome," Dave smiled. The seven of them waved a final goodbye to Roy, watching him safely cross the street and scurry up one of the nearby trees on the other side. Dave closed the door, stretching. "That was a lot of fun! I'm sure he'll come and visit again sometime soon."

"I hope so," Eleanor said sadly.

Theodore squeezed her hand reassuringly, making Eleanor smile up at him. "I'm sure he will, Ellie!"

A soft knock sounded at the front door, surprising all of them. Dave furrowed a brow, looking up from his examination of a few bills.

"Is that Roy again? Did he forget something?" he pondered.

"I don't know," Brittany said, blue eyes widening. "He didn't have anything when he came here..."

"I'll get it!" Jeanette offered, walking towards the front of the house again.

"No, I'll get it!" Alvin said quickly, zooming past Jeanette so fast that she spun around a few times and toppled over. Theodore quickly caught her, while Simon shooting a glare at his older brother. "I think that's my friend."

Jeanette regained her balance, fixing her jean jacket. She smiled down at Theodore, grateful. "Thanks, Theodore."

"No problem!" Theodore said cheerfully.

"What's he so eager about?" Eleanor asked, shaking her head as she watched Alvin scurry up the side of the door and unlock the latches.

"That's what I'd like to know," Brittany said, tilting her head to the side as she watched the red-clad Chipmunk cling to the doorknob and rotate it to the right, causing the door to open. Her cheeks burned a bright red at the sight. "Oh no..."

In the door frame stood none other than Charlene. She was dressed in a light red sundress along with matching ruby sandals. Slung over her slender shoulder was a small backpack, similar to the Chipettes'. She smiled at all of those gathered in the hallway.

"Hi, everyone!" she said, walking inside. "How are you guys?"

"We're doing fine," Dave said, looking down at the seventh chipmunk in surprise. He had heard about her from his sons, but he didn't expect her to come visit today. He shot a glance at Alvin, who smiled sheepishly and silently pleaded for him to let it slide. Dave sighed, deciding to not make a big deal about it. "How are you, Charlene?"

"I'm fine, thank you," she replied, setting down her pack beside the others lined up against the wall. She smiled at Jeanette. "Oh, hey Jean!"

Dave shook his head as he walked away, likely off to talk to his girlfriend on the phone.

"Hey Charlene!" Jeanette said, walking over to her. "I didn't know you were coming over today."

Alvin easily hopped down from the doorknob after locking the front door. "She's here to help Brittany and me work on our project."

"Oh, I see," Jeanette said, nodding. She glanced over at Brittany, who's expression changed from that of utter shock to one of total contempt. Jeanette shivered slightly from her furious gaze. _What is going on with those two?_

"Simon, Theodore, good to see you again," Charlene said warmly, leaning down to hug the youngest Seville brother. Theodore smiled as he released her.

"It's good to see you two, Charlene! You should come over more often," he said happily.

"I hope to," she said, turning to give Simon a hug. She smiled up at him as they parted. "Wow, you seem to have gotten even _taller_ since last time, huh, Si?"

"Or you've just gotten shorter," Simon smirked.

"Whatever!" Charlene laughed. She smiled down at Eleanor, who had been watching her intently. "Hello, Eleanor! How are you today?"

"I'm fine," Eleanor replied, giving her a small smile.

"So, you girls ready to get some of this project done?" asked Alvin, who looked extremely nervous as he made his way upstairs.

Charlene nodded and quickly scurried after him. Brittany clenched her little fists before slowly following after them. Theodore, Simon, Eleanor and Jeanette stood in silence until they heard a door from upstairs slam shut.

"Well... that was awkward," Simon said simply.

They all laughed, all of them obviously thinking the exact same thing.

"How did the three of you meet up with Charlene, again?" Eleanor asked, panting slightly from her laughter. "I don't think you guys really explained how you all became friends."

"We met her in the forest, before we met Dave," Theodore explained, pulling down his shirt. "We knew each other since we were really little! She would always come and play hide-and-seek, tag, you name it. We didn't get to say goodbye to her when our tree was taken down, so we haven't talked to her in years."

Eleanor nodded her understanding. "Oh, I see!"

Jeanette placed a finger on her lip, peering over at the staircase. The memory of Charlene clinging onto Alvin, with Brittany having no idea, came back to her. A pang of guilt struck her. "Um, do Alvin and Charlene have a... _thing?"_ she asked cautiously.

Eleanor looked to Simon and Theodore, obviously wondering the same thing. "Yeah, I see her talking with him a lot more out of the three of you. I thought all of you were friends?"

"We are," Simon said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. He pondered over the question carefully before answering. "Honestly, Alvin never mentioned having any sort of romantic relationship with Charlene, but Theodore and I could never be too sure," he mused. Theodore nodded in agreement. Simon waved his hand around, disinterested. "I never really cared much, to be frank."

"I see," Jeanette said, sighing in relief. _If Simon and Theodore never noticed anything, then it's likely they're not up to anything. Well, at least not Alvin, anyway._

"Since they're working in our room, can we do our homework in your room instead?" Theodore asked, ruffling through his backpack for his homework assignments.

"Sure!" Eleanor piped up, plucking up her own backpack. "Let's go!"

The four chipmunks hurried up the stairs and into Eleanor and Jeanette's bedroom, gently shutting the door behind them. They set their respective backpacks on the floor, pulling out their assignments and neatly spreading them across the floor. Simon had to stop by his room to pick up his and Theodore's art project. Jeanette and Eleanor curiously looked over their nearly finished assignment: it was hard to tell what was illustrated, but it seemed to be a picture of the Chipmunks with Dave in front of their home.

"Wow, it looks good, guys!" Eleanor complimented, giggling as she pointed at what she assumed was Theodore.

"Thanks!" Theodore chuckled, helping Simon by retrieving his markers and colored pencils. "What did you two decide to draw?"

"Well, we decided to draw our home in the forest," Jeanette answered, looking over her and Eleanor's handiwork. Theodore and Simon looked over it, impressed.

"It's coming along great so far," Simon said, smiling down at them.

"Thanks guys!" Eleanor giggled, pleased that they liked their masterpiece. "Hopefully we can get these two finished today, right?"

"Right!" the other three said, determined.

For the next twenty minutes, the four little chipmunks worked diligently on their projects. Occasionally, one of them would sit back and look over their progress thus far before returning to the task at hand. Jeanette carefully examined their work: everything was colored now, save for the sky and a few woodland animals Eleanor had decided to pencil in at the last minute. She glanced over at Simon and Theodore, who looked to be nearly finished as well. Theodore, she noticed, was shyly glancing over at Eleanor, looking as though he wanted to ask her something.

Jeanette smiled. _He really does like Ellie._

She leaned over and whispered into Eleanor's ear, "Ellie, I think Theodore wants to work with you a bit." Eleanor's emerald eyes widened as she glanced over at Theodore. "I think he wanted to be your partner originally."

"He did?" Eleanor gasped. She frowned, obviously regretting not asking him earlier like she had planned. She had assumed that Theodore would get too many offers to even consider working with her. "Jeanette, do you mind if I work with Teddy for a while?"

"Not at all," Jeanette smiled, stepping back to allow Eleanor room to turn.

"Simon, do you mind if Teddy and I work together on my project while you and Jeanette work on yours?" Eleanor asked, blushing slightly as she smiled over at Theodore. "I'd like you to work with me, if that's okay?"

"Yeah!" Theodore said eagerly. He coughed, blushing timidly as he noticed how excited he was. "I mean, I'd like that."

Jeanette and Theodore switched places, she settling next to Simon and Theodore plopping down beside Eleanor.

"Oh, I see you're almost done!" Jeanette said as she looked over the drawing. "What can I help you with?"

"Well, I think it'd look good with some CDs around the edges," Simon said, nodding his head. "Would you mind drawing out the general designs as I color them in?"

"No problem!" Jeanette said confidently. She knew all of the Chipmunks' singles by heart, so it didn't take much effort for her to draw out each cover.

Simon reached for the yellow pencil just as Jeanette reached for the ink pen, their foreheads colliding together painfully. The two of them cried out in surprise and fell forward, scattering some of the art supplies. Eleanor and Theodore, who were previously gazing into each others' eyes, jumped slightly as they saw their older siblings scramble on the floor. They both looked concerned as they ran to their sides.

"Are you two okay?" Theodore asked, holding Simon's shoulders.

"Y-Yeah, we're okay," Simon hissed, rubbing the small knot on the side of his head.

Eleanor took Jeanette's hand, gently pulling her back up into a sitting position. "What happened?"

Jeanette groaned, cursing her own clumsiness. "I-It's my fault, I should have looked where I was going when I reached for the pen."

"It was only an accident," Simon said, chuckling. "Really, it's okay!"

Theodore and Eleanor sighed in relief before returning to their work. Jeanette sighed, carefully reaching for the pen again to ink in her sketches. Simon reached for the colored pencil and began coloring in her work.

"So, what was your old home like, girls?" Theodore asked curiously, looking over the illustration of their previous home.

Eleanor smiled brightly, pointing out the small log half-buried in the soil, located just beside the lake. "It was really pretty, Teddy! It had a lot of flowers, and a berry patch a little ways away, so we always had plenty of berries to eat," she giggled, rubbing her round tummy as if to demonstrate. "It was great! We lived there with our Mama and Papa."

"That's right. Actually, we used to live in a reserve," Jeanette chimed in, memories coming back to her. "It wasn't too much different from where Uncle Roy currently lives..."

Simon raised his eyebrows in surprise, along with Theodore, who smiled. "Wow, you guys were lucky! I wish _we_ were lucky enough to have lived in a reserve."

"Yeah," Theodore squeaked. "We used to live in a regular forest. It was a pretty dangerous neighborhood, with lots of wolves, falcons, and a few stray dogs."

Eleanor gasped. "That's horrible!"

"We managed," Simon smiled, switching out his yellow pencil for the blue. "We were lucky we had each other to rely on, right, Theodore?"

Theodore nodded emphatically. "That's right! We wouldn't be here if we didn't help each other so much."

_They didn't mention their parents, _Jeanette noticed, frowning slightly. _What happened to them?_

Eleanor must have had the same thoughts, for she leaned over and gave Theodore a hug. "Oh, Teddy..."

"It's okay, really!" Theodore said soothingly, stroking her golden pigtail.

Jeanette glanced at Simon. He wore the same melancholy expression she had seen yesterday afternoon.

_Poor Simon... and Theodore, and Alvin too. They deserve their parents back just as much as we do._

XOXOXOXOXO

_Author's Note: Poor Chipmunks! I wonder why they don't like talking about their past that much? _

_The next chapter will be out soon, I promise. It might be a little later, but only by a day or two, since I'm alternating between writing and planning out future chapters._

_Thanks for reading! Reviews are greatly appreciated._


	12. Popular

**Take Me Away**

**Chapter 12**

**Popular**

**XOXOXOXOXO**

_Author's Note: Okay, time to pay a bit more attention to Jeanette's story now._

_Let's see, this story is nearly halfway done! I'm really excited about that, but it's going to be a while until you see the climax. But more fluff will come as well, I think I'm overdue for some Simonette luvvins._

_Enjoy!_

_XOXOXOXOXO_

"Hurry, Jeanette, or we'll be late!" Eleanor said, easily running ahead of her taller sister despite her round bodysize.

Jeanette struggled to keep up, trying her best to keep a firm grip on their art project, which was rolled up into a tube and fastened with a rubber band. She nearly ran into someone's leg because she had so much trouble looking around the thick paper.

"Oh, e-excuse me," she stuttered, balancing herself.

Eleanor turned to watch her a few seconds before sighing. She quickly ran over to her and escorted her to the door. Jeanette blushed and smiled down at her.

"Thanks, Ellie," she said.

"No problem, Jean!" Eleanor said cheerfully. The upcoming oral presentation didn't seem to faze her at all.

_I wish I could say the same, _Jeanette thought, sighing softly. Although she had told herself over and over that it was only a short presentation, she just couldn't get rid of the nervousness. _I hope everything goes alright._

The pair soon made it into Ms. Ortega's classroom before the bell sounded. They quickly took their seats while Ms. Ortega took her usual place in the front of the classroom.

"Well, I hope all of you remembered what's to be done today," she said, clasping her hands together as she looked over her students. Most of them looked unfazed at the reminder, but a few of them groaned and tried their best to hide themselves from her view. She simply chuckled, shaking her head. "I'll be taking volunteers first, but I'm going to try and get through most of the presentations today. So, who wants to go first?"

"Oh! Oh!" Eleanor said, jumping up and down and waving her arm wildly.

Jeanette groaned slightly. She was hoping they could put off their presentation until tomorrow.

"Eleanor, come on up," Ms. Ortega said, smiling. Jeanette gulped, in stark contrast to Eleanor's elated expression.

Eleanor smiled and grabbed their project, making her way towards the front of the class. Jeanette followed close behind, climbing up the side of the small podium so that the rest of the class could clearly see her. With all eyes drawn to Jeanette and her sister, Jeanette couldn't help but shiver.

Eleanor noticed her shrink back. "Do you want me to say most of it?" she whispered kindly.

"I'd like that, thanks," Jeanette said, relieved.

"You girls ready?" Ms. Ortega asked from her desk.

"Yes!" Eleanor said cheerfully. She turned back to her classmates. Jeanette quickly unrolled the paper and held it steady with both arms so that everyone could clearly see their illustration. "We decided to do our project on our old home! We used to live in Lawrenceville, Georgia."

"That's a long way away," one of the boys commented, stroking his stubbly chin. "How'd you get here?"

"Fedex package," Jeanette answered timidly. A few of the students laughed at this.

"Anyway," Eleanor continued, pointing out the large lake near their tree house. "The lake was my favorite spot in the winter! It would always freeze solid, and my sisters and I would always have fun skating there!"

"T-That's right," Jeanette spoke up. Simon had told her that it was no big deal, these presentations. Besides, Jeanette felt that her shyness got in the way sometimes. Maybe it was time to break out of her shell, at least just a little. "It was lots of fun. I personally loved picking berries near the meadow."

"Me too!" Eleanor giggled. "The berries were the sweetest around."

Jeanette spotted Ray near the middle of the seating arrangement. She half-expected her to say something snide or derogatory, but to her utter surprise, she simply remained still and listened intently.

For the rest of the presentation, they went over the general aspects of their former home. Jeanette and Eleanor occasionally commented on their favorite activities while living in the forest as well. The whole presentation only lasted three minutes. As they finished up, the class clapped their hands politely. When they were done, Ms. Ortega scribbled something down in her planner before smiling at them and standing up.

"Good job, girls," she said, helping them down from the podium. "That was a very interesting presentation. Please set your assignment on the round table in the corner. Alright, who wants to go next?"

Jeanette sighed in relief, elated. _Simon was right, I could do it!_

"Not so bad, huh, Jean?" Eleanor teased, winking.

"I guess I worried for nothing," Jeanette giggled, taking her seat beside her baby sister. She was about to say something else when someone gently tapped her on her shoulder. Jeanette turned around and her jaw nearly dropped open when she looked up to see none other than Ray! "R-Ray?"

Ray was smiling down at her from her seat, her usual lackeys, Crystal and Lyra, at her side. Jeanette was always used to them sneering or laughing down at her. So... why were they smiling at her as if they had always been good friends? Eleanor obviously had similar thoughts, because she simply crossed her arms over her chest and cast a suspicious glance to the trio.

"Hey, Jean. Can I call you Jean?" Ray said sweetly, twisting a bit of her raven hair around her finger. "That was a really nice illustration. You've got skill."

"Oh! T-Thank you, Ray – "

"Really? How nice," Eleanor cut in, her normally sweet voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm surprised you'd like anything us _'rats'_ would come up with."

Jeanette visibly flinched at her harsh words. Though, a large part of her did agree. The last time Jeanette had seen Ray, she had tried to stomp her into the gymnasium floor! Or, at least Jeanette was certain she would have tried. And now she was complimenting her on a project she formerly insulted?

Ray glanced over at Eleanor, her eyebrow twitching slightly. However, she let the comment slide and simply ignored her, turning her attention back to Jeanette.

"Jean, I absolutely love what you've done with your hair. That little flower is a nice touch," Ray continued, motioning towards the small flower on the side of Jeanette's brunette locks. Jeanette subconsciously touched it, blushing. "That's a good look for you."

"You really think so?" Jeanette asked, flattered. Ever since she had tried letting her hair down and tying it up in a loose ponytail, she had felt a bit more confident. Especially when Simon seemed to like it. "Thank you, Ray!"

Eleanor scoffed, glaring at Jeanette in disbelief. Jeanette nervously smiled at her.

"Anyway, Jean, I wanted to say I'm sorry for what happened the other day," Ray said, poking out her lower lip in a pout. "I really shouldn't have flipped out like that. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Of course, Ray," Jeanette said quickly, smiling up at her. "But, please. _I_ should be the one apologizing. I'm sorry that I ruined your picnic at the park."

"All in the past!" Ray said with a wave of her hand. "No hard feelings, right?"

"Right!" Jeanette said, elated.

Eleanor groaned and lightly banged her head against the desk.

Crystal, one of Ray's favorite servants, leaned in. In all honesty, she wasn't the prettiest girl around, and her nasally voice and clingy personality didn't make her any more appealing. But Jeanette was never one to judge.

"Hey, how about you hang out with us at lunch sometime?" she offered. "We can chat and stuff."

"R-Really? You want me to sit with you?" Jeanette gasped incredulously. Ray, Crystal and Lyra nodded. _I can't believe this is happening! I've never been offered to sit with anyone besides Simon or my sisters! _"I'd love to! I-I mean, if that's okay."

Eleanor looked like she was about to burst with outrage at this, but it went unnoticed by Jeanette.

"It's a plan, then," Ray grinned. "See you around whenever you decide to join us, Jean."

Jeanette watched as Ray turned back to her friends before smiling down at Eleanor excitedly. Eleanor was rubbing the small, red bruise on her forehead.

"Isn't that great, Ellie?" Jeanette asked.

"No, it's not, Jeanette!" Eleanor whispered, tugging at Jeanette's sleeve. Jeanette's smile faded away at her words. "Did you forget about all of the trouble she's put us through? _You _through? And you're just going to act all buddy-buddy with her?" Eleanor shook her head, sighing. "I can't believe how gullible you are, Jeanette."

"Why would you say that, Eleanor?" Jeanette said, hurt. She couldn't believe what was coming from her baby sister! Offended, Jeanette crossed her arms. "You sound just like _Brittany. _As soon as I make some new friends of my own, you both are never happy for me. It's like you two don't trust my own judgment!"

Eleanor narrowed her green eyes at her, making Jeanette flinch slightly. "Well, maybe I see what Brittany means now!" she snapped. Jeanette looked down at her hands, silent. Eleanor sighed, rubbing her head. "Jeanette, we're not saying these things because we don't want you to have friends. We do! We're just trying to look out for you, that's all."

_What? This is getting ridiculous! _Jeanette thought, her cheeks tinting red with anger. _How does it look for my baby sister to try and protect me from making my own decisions? Brittany, I can understand a little because she's older. But now Eleanor? We always got along!_

"I think I can make my own friends, Eleanor," Jeanette said, rolling her eyes. Eleanor's eyes widened in shock. "I've never butted into you or Brittany's friendships, have I? I don't understand why it's so wrong for me to hang out with them."

Jeanette watched as Eleanor winced slightly, hurt at her words. Jeanette immediately wished she could take back her words. She rarely fought with her sisters, especially sweet, kind Eleanor. But before she could apologize, Eleanor's hurt soon phased to anger.

"Fine! Fine, Jeanette," Eleanor said, turning away from her pointedly. "I know when my opinion's not wanted," she sneered. With that, she gathered her books and backpack, hopped off of the desk they were sharing, and walked over to a couple of her friends.

Jeanette held out a paw to stop her, wanting to apologize for her words. However, he mind told her otherwise and she let Eleanor stomp off. Was Jeanette really in the wrong? She didn't think so. Jeanette loved her sisters dearly, but she hated the fact that they always felt they had to butt in and tell her what to do. Weren't they the ones always saying that they wanted her to make friends? She didn't need their help.

XOXOXOXOXO

After school, the six chipmunks decided to walk home instead of take the bus. It was a lovely, sunny day outside! Besides, they all agreed that it would be good to get some exercise.

Jeanette sighed softly. Roy would not be there when they got home. A big part of her wished he was still around to give her advice.

She glanced over at Eleanor, who was chatting happily with Theodore as they walked along the sidewalk. Jeanette thought back to their small argument during their Art class. _I wonder if she's still mad at me?_

"Hey, Ellie," Jeanette said timidly, purposely using her favorite nickname.

Eleanor glanced up at her. Jeanette smiled at her, but Eleanor simply scowled and rolled her eyes, turning back to Theodore. "Anyway, Teddy. What movie do you want to see this Saturday?"

Snubbed, Jeanette looked away and sighed. Guilt washed over her as she shuffled her feet.

_I guess not._

Jeanette and Eleanor, heck, all _three_ of them had always been as close as could be. From a very young age they had all come to rely and trust in each other. Even if they would have their arguments or occasionally grate on each other's nerves, there was no doubt in Jeanette's mind that they would always be best friends. Whenever one of them needed help or was feeling down, the others wouldn't think twice of doing whatever was in their power to help.

_But I am **not** going to apologize, _Jeanette thought, clenching her fist. _Now that I've finally found friends, all they can think of is the negatives. Never the positives. I'm not going to let them ruin this for me._

Simon noticed the heavy atmosphere, clearing his throat to get their attention.

"Hey, I was thinking. Why don't we all have a movie night this Friday?" he suggested. "Like the one we did with Roy when he came to visit."

"Good idea, Si!" Alvin said, rubbing his chin. "Maybe Charlene could come along –"

"And I say that we _shouldn't _invite Charlene," Brittany cut in, cutting her eyes at Alvin and making him step back. "Or, hey, whatever. Invite her. But if you do, you can just cut me out."

Alvin narrowed his eyes. "What is your problem, Britt?"

"You know _exactly _what my problem is!" Brittany shouted furiously. "You've got some nerve after what you did!"

Eleanor and Theodore looked to each other, speechless. Jeanette recovered from her shock and stepped forward, eager to defend her friend.

"Actually, I think that's a great idea," Jeanette said, biting her lip when Brittany whirled around to face her. "I-I mean, she's not all that bad, Brittany. You just have to give her a chance."

"I don't want to hear it from her fan club," Brittany snapped, folding her arms. "I already know you're BFFs," she added with a mocking laugh. "I warned you not to talk to her, but you'll learn the hard way, Jeanette. But do what you want. See if I care."

Jeanette squeaked gently and looked down at her feet. Simon placed a sympathetic paw on her shoulder.

"Brittany, come on," Alvin sighed. "You haven't even given her a chance!"

"I did give her a chance, Alvin. And you know what? She blew it," Brittany said, fuming.

"Can't you give her a second chance?" Alvin snapped.

"No! She doesn't deserve it!" Brittany said, turning and stomping down the street. "Whatever, do what you want. Just don't expect me to put up with her."

"Britt, wait!" Eleanor called, running after her. Theodore obviously didn't know what to do as he hung back, helplessly watching his friends bicker.

"Ugh, that girl is giving me a headache," Alvin grumbled, crossing his arms. "I just don't get why she doesn't get along with Charlene."

Simon rubbed his head, tired of all the arguing around him. "I'm completely neutral in this. I don't know what to think."

"What does Britt have against Charlene, Alvin?" Jeanette asked, shaking her head at Brittany's behavior. Brittany was known to have a jealous streak, especially when it came to Alvin. However, Brittany never took it far, because all of the girls Alvin talked to or flirted with were simply fans or friends. Jeanette was certain that Alvin felt nothing for Charlene (at least, for Brittany's sake, she hoped so), but Brittany seemed to positively _loathe _Charlene. "Did anything happen between them?"

"Beats me," Alvin said crossly. "Charlene's a great friend. But Brittany's just so stubborn, it drives me nuts!"

"You're just as stubborn," Simon interjected, ignoring the cold look from his older brother. "But, seriously, something must have happened. Are you sure Charlene's not treating her badly when you're not looking, Alvin? Maybe it's something you're simply not seeing?"

"Simon, what the heck? How could you say that about Charlene? You know she's not like that!" Alvin said, outraged.

"Yeah, Simon," Jeanette said softly, twitching her nose. "I know Charlene too, and she's really sweet. I thought you were her friend?"

Simon held up a hand in his defense, laughing softly. "I am, I am. It was only a thought, guys."

XOXOXOXOXO

_Author's Note: You might want to listen to Simon. He tends to notice these things!_

_I can tell you that things are far from over. The juicy chapters are soon to come._


	13. Sleepover

**Take Me Away**

**Chapter 13**

**Sleepover**

**XOXOXOXOXO**

_Author's Note: Gah, it's so hard to stop myself from just rushing into the climax! XD_

_But don't worry, it's building up to that. Also, there will be more fluff coming soon. I had to set up some important things first before I get to that good stuff._

_XOXOXOXOXO_

It was Friday night at last. No homework, no practice, no school for two days!

The Chipmunks and the Chipettes huddled together, keen on coming up with a plan for what to do tonight. Jeanette was especially eager, since she had been studying hard for her upcoming final exams. Her poor brain needed the rest.

"What should we do tonight, guys?" Eleanor asked excitedly, dressed in her favorite spring-green, gown-like jersey. "Should we head to the mall or something? I don't mind getting dressed," she added with a giggle.

"Nah," Alvin dismissed, waving his paw in disinterest. Eleanor pouted, folding her arms. "I say we should just stay in and do something fun. I'm not really up to being mobbed by fans, thank you very much," he added sarcastically.

"Okay, then why don't we practice for our concert in the summer?" Theodore pitched in. "We want to be ready, right?"

"Too tired," Jeanette sighed, rubbing her slightly throbbing forehead. "Exams are killing me!"

"Tell me about it," Simon groaned, sitting Indian-style. "We should just have a quiet night in, don't you think? We all have exams and stuff tiring us out."

"Boring!" Brittany said, rolling her eyes. "But, fine. I guess we have no other choice. What do you guys want to do?"

Jeanette timidly raised her hand. "Um, I-I have an idea."

Alvin rolled his eyes. "You're not in school, Jeanette. Just spit it out!"

Jeanette lowered her hand and glared at Alvin. "I just wanted to tell you all that we'll be having c-company."

"Who?" Simon asked curiously.

"Well, I invited Charlene over to spend the night," Jeanette said quickly. While Simon, Theodore and Eleanor looked on blankly, Brittany looked as if she wanted to tackle Jeanette to the ground and strangle her. Jeanette gulped and avoided eye contact with her older sister. She knew she was going to be furious with her, but Charlene was her friend. She wasn't going to treat her badly just because she didn't get along with her sister. Alvin, looked shocked at the news. He then bit his lip and groaned softly. "I-I hope that's okay."

"I don't see why not," Simon said kindly. "One more can't hurt."

"Speak for yourself," Brittany snapped, folding her arms. "Jeanette, why didn't you say something before now? This is our house too!"

"But she's my friend!" Jeanette protested. "You always have your friends over!"

"And I always let everyone know in advance," Brittany countered. Jeanette didn't have a good rebuttal for that one. "When is she coming, anyway?"

"She should be here in a few minutes," Jeanette answered softly, looking down. "Sorry. I just wanted a friend over, for once."

Simon rested a sympathetic paw on Jeanette's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. Although he, personally, thought that all of the drama and tension surrounding Charlene was getting out of hand, Jeanette seemed to genuinely value her as a friend. He was willing to support her if that meant that she would open up a little.

Theodore also seemed to notice the tension in the air as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I'm glad she can come visit us and all, but where is she going to sleep?"

"She can always sleep in my bed," Jeanette answered. "There's more than enough room for the two of us."

"I can't believe this," Brittany scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I can't believe you'd be that inconsiderate and invite her over here without telling us! Don't we have a say in this?"

Jeanette recoiled as Brittany narrowed her eyes at her. She looked absolutely livid at this point, and Jeanette prayed that someone would redirect her sister's anger.

"Britt, calm down," Alvin said soothingly, but wisely kept his distance. "I'm sure it will be fine."

"We'll see," Brittany said, clearly unconvinced.

"Hey, I know," Alvin went on, glad to change the subject. He rubbed his paws together mischievously, grinning widely and raising the suspicions of his friends and family. "We should spend the night sharing horror stories. Ghost stories are the best kind, don't you think?"

Simon rolled his eyes, sighing. "How can something that doesn't exist be frightening?"

"You don't know they don't exist!" Alvin retorted. He curled his lip in disgust. "Good Lord, Simon! You're such a killjoy."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Alvin," Eleanor said adamantly, glancing to her timid counterpart. "You might like those kinds of stories, but not everyone else does!"

"You too?" Alvin sighed. "You guys are no fun, I swear!"

Jeanette bit her lip, quiet. In all honesty, she couldn't stand anything scary, bloody, or violent! Even if it was just a silly, cheesy horror flick or an obviously fabricated story. She just wasn't cut out for things like that...

"I-I'm up for it," Theodore said softly, shocking everyone around him. He blushed and twitched his tail. "It m-might be fun."

Eleanor looked at him, worry evident in her shimmering green eyes. "Teddy, are you sure?"

"I'm sure, Ellie," Theodore said, smiling at her. Alvin looked doubtful, glaring down at his little brother. "Really, Alvin. I promise I won't tattle, like last time," Theodore added apologetically.

After a few seconds of tense silence, Alvin's shoulders relaxed as he let forth a small sigh.

"Alright, fine," Alvin relented. "Just don't go crying to Dave when you get scared!"

"I promise," Theodore said quickly.

Brittany got up from the couch cushions, smoothing out her soft pink nightgown. "I'm going to go make some popcorn."

"Okay! Extra butter please!" Eleanor called to her, giggling. Brittany rolled her eyes playfully at her before scurrying away.

As soon as Brittany was out of earshot, Alvin turned around and shot a cold glare to Jeanette. Jeanette, rightfully baffled at his sudden mood change, raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"What, Alvin?" Jeanette said, becoming more and more irritated with the boy.

"Don't 'what' me. What the heck were you thinking, inviting Charlene over without telling anyone?" Alvin demanded.

"I asked Dave!" Jeanette offered weakly. "He said it was okay."

"So, you just thought that was enough? You didn't bother to tell the other five chipmunks who are also sharing the same roof?" Alvin shot back.

"That's enough, Alvin," Simon said firmly. Alvin glanced over at him and pursed his lips shut reluctantly. "Besides, I thought Charlene was your friend! You keep going on and on about her. What's the big deal?"

"That doesn't mean I want her here unannounced," Alvin growled, his frustration growing.

"Why are you getting on my case?" Jeanette snapped, finally losing her patience. Brittany, she could understand. A large part of Jeanette still felt guilty for not telling Brittany about what she saw a few days ago. But why was Alvin suddenly against Charlene? It just didn't make any sense. "I'm sorry for not telling you all earlier. It was really inconsiderate of me. Next time I will. I just wanted to have my friend over, that's all. She won't be any trouble, you know she won't!"

Alvin sighed, leaning back into the large pillow propped against the back of the couch. "Whatever. You still should have given us a heads up."

Simon and Theodore looked at each other, not knowing what to say to calm the tension that had somehow crept back into the air. Eleanor was looking towards the kitchen, gnawing gently on her bottom lip.

"I'm going to help Britt with the popcorn. Be right back," Eleanor said, hopping easily to her feet and running into the kitchen.

"How about we all just calm down? Please, it's the weekend after all," Simon sighed. "Charlene's only going to be over for one night anyway," he added with a wince. Jeanette twitched her nose curiously at his pained reaction. "Let's try to make the best of this night."

"I agree," Theodore said quickly. "Let's all have a good time."

_Simon doesn't seem all that comfortable with Charlene coming over, _Jeanette noticed, glancing over at the boy as he adjusted his glasses with a heavy sigh. _I hope he's not mad at me for inviting her..._

The doorbell ringing suddenly jolted Jeanette out of her thoughts. She smiled and carefully climbed down the side of the cough, running towards the front door. She nearly collided into Dave's leg as he was walking to open it.

"S-Sorry, Dave," Jeanette said, embarrassed.

"I've got it," Dave said with a small chuckle. He opened the door to reveal the small, female chipmunk with a small bag at her side. He politely smiled at her. "Hello again, Charlene."

"Hey, Dave," Charlene smiled. "Thank you for letting me come over to spend the night."

"No problem," Dave said, moving his leg out of the way to allow her entry. As Charlene scurried past, Dave peered out into the darkness to see the familiar jet-black car of his former friend, Ian Hawke. Ian, noticing him staring, smirked and gave a small wave. Dave rolled his eyes and closed the door behind her, not bothering to talk to him. "Oh brother."

"Hey guys!" Charlene smiled, resting her bag in the hallway and holding out her arms. "Nice to see you again!"

The Chipmunks hopped off of the couch and walked over to her. Jeanette writhed her hands nervously when Charlene went to hug Alvin in particular. While she knew they were childhood friends, the hug lasted _way_ longer than what was necessary. Brittany was only a room away! What would she say if she saw them hugging, with Jeanette doing nothing to stop it?

However, Jeanette's guilt soon turned into fury when Charlene turned to give Simon the same treatment. And it wasn't a simple, small hug one would give to a friend. No, it was a long hug, and one that was too intimate for Jeanette liking...

Jeanette gulped down the lump in her throat, clenching both of her fists. She then blushed and relaxed, ashamed at herself.

_Why am I getting so mad? _Jeanette wondered, shaking her head. _It's not like Charlene likes him or anything. I'm being just as jealous as Brittany!_

Jeanette pushed the jealous thoughts to the back of her mind when Charlene turned to finally give her a hug. Jeanette felt Charlene's arms give her a firm squeeze, and tried to return the hug as best she could. But it wasn't nearly as enthusiastic.

"Hey, Jean! Thanks for inviting me over!" Charlene said, an excited smile gracing her soft features. "It's going to be awesome!"

"I'm sure it will," Jeanette said softly, giving her friend a small smile.

"Hey, guys. Popcorn's on!"

The group turned to see Brittany and Eleanor slowly walking back into the living room, carefully balancing a large bowl of buttery, warm popcorn. Brittany's blue eyes immediately narrowed as she took in Charlene's appearance, dropping her end of the bowl. Eleanor squeaked and quickly rebalanced the bowl so the popcorn wouldn't spill over, giving her older sister a small glare.

"Oh. Hello," Brittany said, her voice cold. Eleanor glanced over at Charlene, then Jeanette, silent.

"Hi, Britt!" Charlene greeted cheerfully. Brittany gritted her teeth. "Nice to see you again! Hello to you too, Eleanor."

"Hey, Charlene," Eleanor said reluctantly, smiling weakly. She turned back to Brittany, who was locked in an intense staring match with Charlene. "Britt, a little help?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry," Brittany said, reluctantly breaking the stare and helping her baby sister carry the bowl to the couch.

Jeanette fidgeted uncomfortably. For a dreadful moment, Jeanette wondered if Brittany had noticed something going on with Charlene and Alvin. Deep down, Jeanette could understand why she'd be more than suspicious of Charlene, if that was the case. But... but Charlene was always nice to Jeanette. Was it right for her to butt in on her affairs? Jeanette gulped, feeling guilt nag at her heart. However, Brittany _was_ her big sister...

Charlene walked towards the bowl, followed by Jeanette and the boys. Theodore eagerly looked over the morsels, taking in the delicious aroma.

"Wow, this smells great," Theodore said, rubbing his round tummy in anticipation. "Thanks Ellie! Thanks, Britt."

"You're welcome, Teddy!" Eleanor smiled, her tail wagging from side to side.

Alvin hopped over to the lamp near the couch, turning it off. He then went into the kitchen and turned off the light, bathing the living room in darkness. Brittany watched him grin evilly, shaking her head at his dramatic performance.

"Alvin, you look so stupid," Brittany smirked with a laugh.

"I think he looks really spooky," Charlene added with a giggle. Brittany shot her an icy glare.

"Thanks, Charlene!" Alvin laughed, coming to sit beside her. Brittany looked away, hurt at this. "Alright! Let's start!"

XOXOXOXOXO

_Author's Note: This one was a bit shorter than normal, but I didn't think I could fit all I had planned in one chapter. Sorry, guys!_

_The next chapter will be out shortly. Please review._


	14. What Bumps In The Night

**Take Me Away**

**Chapter 14**

**What Bumps In The Night**

**XOXOXOXOXO**

_Author's Note: Expect some more fluff to come up soon in this story. Been a while since Simon and Jeanette got some time alone for a change!_

_Please enjoy!_

_XOXOXOXOXO_

"So, who wants to go first?" Alvin asked, looking as if he could barely contain himself. Jeanette sighed deeply, completely at a loss of what went through that boy's mind most of the time. "And make it a good one. Nothing lame, got it?"

"I'll go first," Simon offered, raising his hand politely.

Alvin and Charlene stared back at him blankly for a few seconds before bursting out in laughter. Simon's eyebrow twitched in annoyance and he folded his arms.

"Sorry, Simon, but _you_ want to tell _us_ a scary story?" Charlene smirked, unconvinced. "No offense, hon, but you're not a very good storyteller. Especially when it comes to ghost stories."

Jeanette huffed softly. "Let him go, guys! It might be really good! Go on, Simon," Jeanette said, smiling at her counterpart. Simon smiled gratefully.

"Thank you, Jeanette. I know of a pretty good one," Simon said, leaning forward. "Ever heard of Slenderman?"

"S-Slenderman?" Theodore gulped, clutching his tail.

"Slenderman? Seriously?" Alvin scoffed, rolling his eyes. He then wiggled his fingers, crossing his eyes. "Oh, watch out guys! A skinny guy's gonna getcha!"

"Alvin, are you going to listen to my story or not?" Simon snapped. "Seriously, shut up."

"Fine," Alvin griped, giving his little brother a glare. "Make it good, Simon."

"As I was _trying_ to say, Slenderman is a strange entity. He's much taller than a normal man, and unnaturally thin. Not malnourished, but just impossibly spindly. Like a dead tree," Simon said, his voice lowering. He suppressed an amused chuckle when everyone leaned forward, eager to hear the rest. "Some people say he is a bad omen. If you see him, disaster is sure to follow. He especially likes children. He kidnaps them, and spirits them away without a trace. What does he do with them? Nobody knows for sure."

Theodore and Eleanor gulped and looked at each other nervously, trembling slightly. Jeanette nervously fidgeted around, eying the shadows of the room and biting her lower lip. Alvin, Brittany and Charlene, however, seemed to be totally engrossed in Simon's tale.

"No one's ever caught him?" Brittany asked, tilting her head. "Sounds like some wacko to me."

"That's the thing," Simon continued. "Some say that he has no face. Some say that his face changes with each appearance, so no one can give a reliable account. So there's nothing you can do when he sets his sights on you."

Theodore and Eleanor were now holding each other, shivering in fright. Brittany hugged her shoulders, gulping down her own anxiety. Charlene was hugging her legs, rocking back and forth with a tense expression. Jeanette was absolutely terrified at this point, but she tried her best not to show it in front of the others. She was too old to be scared by ghost stories! What would they think of her?

"T-This story is so lame," Brittany said in annoyance, though her voice noticeably wavered. "Right, Alvin... _Alvin?_" she looked around, her bright blue eyes widening in alarm. "Where are you? Guys, where's Alvin?"

The six chipmunks gasped, too afraid to leave the safety of the circle of light. They all looked at Simon, who held up his hands defensively while looking completely bewildered.

"Guys, come on. It's just a silly story I read off the internet," Simon said quickly, shrugging his shoulders. He then rolled his eyes, folding his arms. "Alvin's just being an idiot, as usual. Really, the story's fake. The author even admitted to it being just a story multiple times!"

"Oh yeah? Then where is Alvin?" Charlene countered.

"Alvin, come out!" Jeanette squeaked, finally losing her nerve. While she had steeled herself for a few scary tales, this was seriously creeping her out. She wasn't in the mood for Alvin's silly tricks right now. "Come out and stop – AHHHH!"

Jeanette clasped a paw over her mouth in sheer horror, pointing with her free hand to the opposite wall. The others followed her line of vision, their little faces going pale seconds later. There lied a slim, tall, and foreboding shadow. It was getting closer and closer, its spindly form tottering ever nearer.

"IT'S SLENDERMAN!" Brittany screamed hysterically. "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! EVERY 'MUNK FOR THEMSELVES!"

The group screamed in terror, adrenaline propelling them to run in random and uncoordinated directions until most of them collided with each other and landed in a painful heap. The creature was advancing with every second. The group huddled together into a large, cowering ball, holding onto each other for dear life. Their eyes grew large with fright.

"S-S-Simon...!" Jeanette sobbed, clutching at Simon's arm. Simon's other arm was tightly wrapped around her in a protective manner, even though he was equally petrified. "W-We need D-D-Dave!"

As if to fulfill her desperate plea, the lights of the living room suddenly flickered on. The group stared blankly at what was revealed in front of them: it was no monster at all! It was Alvin, balanced on a broom, Dave's loose jacket draped over it, with two long mixing spoons for "arms." Dave looked at them all, completely baffled by the odd situation, with his finger poised on the light switch.

The group only stared back, mouths agape. Alvin couldn't take it anymore as he threw his costume aside and burst into loud laughter, rolling around on the floor. The group parted, expressions livid and embarrassed.

"**ALVIN!**" the group shouted furiously, stomping over to him.

"I-I'm sorry," Alvin panted, wiping away tears. He grinned at his friends, who looked as though they were ready to strangle him at any moment. "I'm sorry, but it was too good an opportunity to pass up, you know?"

"That wasn't funny!" Brittany fumed, stomping on his exposed tail. He yelped, recoiling slightly. "God, you're so immature," she went on, stomping past an amused Dave and towards the staircase leading to their bedrooms. "I'm turning in for the night. This _fool_ ruined it for me."

"Britt, come on! It was just a joke!" Alvin said, trying to get her to come back. Eleanor rolled her eyes at him at him before kissing Theodore's cheek goodnight.

"See you guys later," Eleanor said with a soft yawn. "I think I'm going to turn in as well."

"Killjoy," Alvin muttered, watching the petite girl scurry after her sister. "Chickens!"

Jeanette scowled at him, shoving him out of the way. "You nearly gave us all a heart attack! Alvin, why can't you stop being... _you_, for a change?"

"Can't change the way I am," Alvin said, infuriating Jeanette even more with a careless smirk. "Calm down, Jean. You're starting to sound like Simon."

"And that's a bad thing _how_?" Jeanette retorted. Simon chuckled, resting a paw on her shoulder.

"See what I go through?" Simon said jokingly, Alvin shooting him an annoyed glare. "Sorry about all that mess."

"_I_ wasn't scared, Alvin," Charlene giggled, giving him a playful nudge. "That was good, I've got to give it to you."

"Finally, someone who sees it my way!" Alvin laughed.

Jeanette resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She knew the two of them were friends, but Charlene was really coming off as a brown-noser at the moment. She gently clasped her hand around her friend's, leading her away from the Chipmunks and towards the stairs.

"Come on, Charlene. We can watch movies or something in our bedroom," Jeanette offered.

"Good idea," Charlene said, picking up her backpack on the way. She blew a kiss to the three boys who were settling down on the living room couch. Jeanette willed herself to ignore it, though with some difficulty. "Bye guys!"

"Goodnight, girls," Simon smiled, waving. "We'll be turning in sometime soon as well."

"Speak for yourself!" Alvin scoffed, shaking his head firmly. "It's Friday night! No curfew – ow! Theo!"

Theodore chuckled, clutching the small, blue pillow he had used to bonk his older brother over the head with. "Never look away in the middle of a pillow fight."

"But we weren't in a pillow fight – OW!" Alvin was blown back when he was smacked in the face with another pillow, this time thrown by Simon. "What the heck, guys!"

Simon and Theodore laughed as Alvin scrambled to grab a pillow to shield himself from the pummeling. He covered his head and yelled for one of the girls to help him, but Jeanette simply shrugged and turned to go upstairs.

"Sorry, Alvin. What goes around comes around," Jeanette giggled, leaving her friend to suffer the wrath of his little brothers while she went upstairs to join her friend and sisters. She pushed open the door and spotted Charlene and Eleanor making conversation, Brittany sitting on her bed and staring at the television with a deadpan expression. Jeanette didn't bother to try and bring her into the conversation. It would only end badly, after all...

"Hey, guys," Jeanette smiled, smoothing out her purple nightgown before sitting between the two chatting chipmunks. "What are we talking about?"

"Oh! We were just talking about the upcoming Christmas dance," Eleanor said cheerfully, wiggling her little toes. "I'm helping out by baking some of the treats! Just imagine it: gingerbread cookies, sugar cookies, cakes, candy canes..."

"I'm sure it will all be delicious, Eleanor. Alvin's told me you and Theodore are the best chefs around," Charlene smiled.

Eleanor blushed and grinned up at her. "Thanks, Charlene! I hope you'll make it to the party?"

"We're definitely going, right Jeanette?" Charlene said, hugging her with one arm. Jeanette looked down at her curiously, raising a brow. "Oh, come on! We have to go!"

"I-I was never that good with parties," Jeanette said uncertainly. It was true, she was always a bit too shy to attend social gatherings. "Besides, I don't even know if I'll have a date when the party rolls around."

"Oh, I'm sure that won't be a problem," Charlene said knowingly, stroking her chin. She suddenly looked up at Brittany, who had been completely quiet up until now. "What about you, Britt?"

Brittany gave her a withering glare, Charlene visibly flinching from the cold glare. "How many times do I have to tell you? Don't call me 'Britt.' I'm not your friend, so stop pretending like we are in front of my sisters," she said coldly, without a hint of remorse.

Charlene gasped and looked away, tears welling up in her eyes. Jeanette was utterly taken aback. Not just from the cruel words of her older sister, but because Eleanor didn't seem to want to come to her defense! She knew the two of them weren't friends, since they hardly talked to each other before tonight. But why was Eleanor letting Brittany talk down to Charlene like that? She was supposed to be the _sweet_ one, for heaven's sake!

Jeanette hugged a tearful Charlene, glaring up at Brittany. Charlene sniffled softly, swiping at her tears.

"Brittany, how could you treat Charlene like that?" she shot, completely ashamed at Brittany's behavior. She had put up with her petty attitude for long enough. She wasn't going to let her ruin her friendship just because she was _jealous_ of Charlene. "She didn't do anything to you, and here you are treating her like she's some kind of criminal! What has gotten into you lately?"

"Jeanette, stop. You don't understand – " Eleanor started, but Brittany hopped down and placed a paw on her shoulder to stop her. Eleanor looked up at her quizzically, but Brittany just shook her head. Eleanor frowned. "Britt?"

Brittany looked away from her baby sister and straight into the eyes of Jeanette. Her eyes were cold and menacing, but Jeanette didn't dare break the gaze. She was tired of Brittany always controlling the situation. Not this time.

"Jeanette, you're my little sister. And all I want to do is protect the both of you," Brittany started softly, despite her fierce gaze. However, her voice then turned steely and sharp. "But, Jeanette, you're really starting to piss me off. You only _think _you know her. You're being used, and you don't even know it. How clueless can you get?"

Jeanette's eyes widened in shock at her words. Granted, she had heard this argument before: but this time, it was filled with so much contempt and venom that, as much as she didn't want to admit it, it _did_ cut her. But she refused to show it this time.

"Brittany, I'm getting sick and tired of this same old argument," Jeanette said firmly, standing up to her full height. Charlene looked up at her expectantly. "She's my friend. Get over it. This is my only friend, and you're just trying to drive her away and make her feel bad. I won't let you do that to her anymore," she said, shaking her head for emphasis. Brittany stared back at her in shock, clearly not expecting her shy, timid sister to stand up to her like this. Eleanor stared back as well, folding her arms. "Both of you are acting so... so... so _evil_! Charlene's never done anything to either of you. Well, you know what? This is the last time. If you're going to insult her, you're going to have to go through me."

The room was bathed in silence. Jeanette and Charlene locked in a tense staring match with Brittany and Eleanor. Until, finally, Brittany's face contorted in rage, frustration and disgust.

"You know what? _Fine,_" Brittany spat, grabbing her pillow and stomping towards their bedroom door. She shoved past Charlene and Jeanette, nearly toppling the two girls to the floor. When she reached the threshold, she turned back to them one last time. "I don't give a _damn _what happens to you, or your backstabbing friend. Do what you want, see if I care! Jeanette, I always thought you were the smart one. But you're a total idiot for falling into her hands. I'm sleeping downstairs tonight. I can't even stand to stay in the same room as either of you," she said coldly. Her gaze softened when she looked back at Eleanor. "I'm sorry you had to see this, Ellie. I tried."

Jeanette looked away in disgust, taking Charlene's hand and helping her to her feet. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, Charlene. Brittany's turning this sleepover into a disaster," she added angrily.

"It's not your fault, Jean. I don't blame Brittany either. Maybe I've done something to offend her," Charlene sighed.

"Don't say that, you've done absolutely nothing wrong," Jeanette said softly. "Come on, you can sleep in my bed. There's more than enough room. Eleanor, do you want to sleep with us?"

"No," Eleanor said, glancing at Charlene uncertainly. "I'm going to go sleep downstairs too."

"What? You're on Brittany's side now?" Jeanette said incredulously.

"I'm not taking sides, Jeanette," Eleanor said, folding her arms. "But I think Brittany needs to have one of us by her side."

With that, Eleanor grabbed a small pillow and followed her older sister downstairs. Jeanette rolled her eyes in frustration.

"Come on, we'll have fun without them."

XOXOXOXOXO

_Author's Note: Yeesh, what happened to the famous trio of sisters?_

_Reviews are appreciated! Next chapter will be up soon._


End file.
